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By Madu Obi
President Bola Tinubu is expected to grace the 2nd edition of the Anambra State Investment Summit taking place on November 14 in Awka, which would also mark the commencement of Governor Chukwuma Soludo's massive industrialization of the state.
Others expected at the summit include officials of the African- Export Import Bank, African Development Bank, AfDB, United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, as well as state and federal agencies, local and international investors.
At the pre summit media briefing in Awka, the Managing Director of Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency, ANSIPPA, Mr. Mark Okoye said progress made on some of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed during the first summit would be shown to the public.
According to Okoye, there will be data base of the prospective investors, adding that all the projects to be showcased have been documented.
Some of the projects, he stated, include the proposed Anambra Industrial City, the new Awka City, the new city to be built around the 2nd Niger Bridge, the 10 - storey five star hotel to be built in the vicinity of the famous International Convention Center in Awka, the Awka Shopping Mall and the Innovation District to be domiciled in the present Government House when the seat of government moves to the new Government House nearing completion in Awka.
He said that the state government is planning to set up Anambra Development and Investment Corporation, ADIC, which is expected to coordinate all developments in the state, adding that the draft bill is already before the state House of Assembly.
He stated that Governor Soludo is already planning on the next stage of the development of the state airport, which he described as a priority of the present administration.
Okoye added that proposals for power sector development in the state involving hydro, solar and gas energy are in advanced stages, noting that policy formulation work has been done to address the issue of power in the state.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Industry, Mr. Christian Udechukwu said that only projects that have taken off and with completion dates, would be unveiled during the summit.
He said: "Only investors who are ready with their money and have shown capacity and competences will be signed on at the summit.
The summit will also showcase economic areas that are ongoing, such as the solid minerals and oil and gas sectors which are being restructured in such a way that they would not pose ecological challenges.
With Anambra being number one in the ease of doing business in Southern Nigeria, number seven nationally, number one in fiscal performance and transparency, doing more with less, number one in SME support, has one of the best road networks and is among the viable states in the county, investors are in the right place if they come to Anambra."
In his remarks, the state Commissioner of Information, Dr. Law Mefor, explained that the investment summit underscores the emphasis on government's partnership with the private sector.
He assured that the state is very safe for doing business, and that is why the investors are eager to invest in Anambra.
"Soludo came fully prepared, which is why the positive results are showing, with the state being transformed into the economic hub of the East," he said.
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