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By Madu Obi
Investors in Anambra State have identified the weekly Monday sit -at -home and bad roads as impediments to business growth in the state.
Speaking during a roundtable meeting with Governor Chukwuma Soludo in Awka, they also listed difficulty in processing visa, procurement of Certificate of Occupancy, insecurity, touting and non functioning of the Onitsha Seaport, as other drawbacks to profitable business in the state.
They urged the state government to tackle the issue of insecurity by erecting CCTVs at Upper Iweka, Bridge Head, Borromeo, Nkpor Junction and other entry points in Onitsha as part of security measures.
According to them, the establishment of integrated trade platforms facilitated by the state, as well as provision of incentives for more people to go into industrialization and creation of a contributory scheme for manufacturers for greater impact, would improve the business climate.
Addressing the businessmen, Professor Soludo explained that his administration has a huge agenda that would encourage production for export, adding that the meeting was called to enable government know what it could do to assist investors and their partners to invest in the state.
He promised that reforms were on course to make sure that the processes for approvals in the Anambra State Investment Promotion Agency, ANSIPPA, carried out without bottlenecks.
The governor pointed out that his government is also taking a second look at facilities in ANSIPPA to ensure existence of "multi doors" for easier access by prospective investors.
He cited the present administration's huge agenda in agriculture including the palm and coconut revolution which will ultimately create a new ecosystem around the state.
Prof. Soludo revealed that government is building up its land bank, pointing out that they are also making efforts to ensure that the processing time for acquiring land C of O gets down to 72 hours.
He announced that government will address the issue of abuses by officials of Anambra Road Traffic Management Agency, ARTMA, including taking another look at their fines, bearing in mind, however, that what they are doing is for the overall interest of the public.
Soludo promised that by December, Upper Iweka in Onitsha will wear a new look and become the safest place as part of moves to make Anambra a true investment destination.
He said that discussion is ongoing to explore the possibility of generating captive power, using gas.
The Commissioner for Industry, Mr. Christian Udechukwu emphasized government's vested interest in attracting more investors to develop the state and achieve more growth trajectories.
The event, which had the theme; 'From Import to Industrialization for Export' was organized to ascertain the challenges facing manufacturers, importers and exporters with a view to solving them.
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