INDUSTRIALISED ANAMBRA: SOLUDO LAYING SOLID FOUNDATION FOR TAKEOFF, STATE RANKING FIRST IN EASE OF DOING BUSINESS AND MOST SME-FRIENDLY – MEFOR
By Rose Oranye :
Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, on Friday, October 18, received the organisers of the South East Business and Investment Summit (SEBIS 2024) at his office in Awka, where he stated that Governor Soludo had laid a solid foundation for the industrialisation of Anambra State.
Addressing the visitors, Mefor, who said he participated in the Investment Summit before he was appointed commissioner, assured the group that Anambra is a worthy partner in their project since the state is setting out to become an industrial hub.
He said the preoccupation of the summit had always been to make the South East the developed haven that its forebears like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Dr. Michael Okpala dreamt of, adding that Governor Soludo has similar visions and is already laying a solid foundation for the industrial transformation of the state through the construction of durable stone base roads and other enablers such as water, power, among others.
“It is self-evident that Anambra is geared towards industrialisation. Go to Nnewi, for example, and you will be convinced that we are inclined not only toward commerce, we are also inclined toward industrialisation, technology, etc. You are in the right place. You will find Anambra a worthy partner in this journey, and I do know your plan matches Mr Governor’s industrialisation agenda.
“Based on a peer review, Anambra state ranks first in ease of doing business in all of southern Nigeria. More importantly, Prof. Soludo has devoted a section of Anambra State as the Anambra Mixed-Use Industrial City (AMIC), stretching from Ogboji, Akpu, and Ufuma to Ekwulobia, as a hub for SMEs and large industries. So, whatever business and investment you want to propose, there’s a space for that already. Whether you are bringing in investors from outside or you want to stimulate local interest in industrialisation and development, the foundation is already laid. So, you are not coming to tell Soludo to start. He is already working in that direction,” Mefor said.
Earlier, the leader of the group and former Commissioner for Environment, Anambra State, Dr Ifedi Okwenna, explained that the summit is an annual reunion meeting of government/policy leaders, investors, and businesses from diverse sectors to promote business and investment and stimulate the South East economy, among others.
He expressed happiness that the Anambra State Government is recognised as an SME-friendly state and urged the commissioner to help facilitate the group’s meeting with Mr Governor.
* Oranye is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State