In a bid to underscore the importance of diversifying the
economy and attracting more industries
to Anambra state, Chief Willy Obiano has confirmed that the concise Economic Blueprint, made up of The
Four Pillars of Development; including Agriculture, Industrialization, Trade
and Commerce and Oil and Gas he developed on assumption of office has started
yielding dividends.
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| Gov Willie Obiano |
The governor who spoke in Abuja in an interactive session he
had with the People of Anambra living in the North central part of the country
at the Transcorp Hilton stated that the state is now a socially stable,
business-friendly environment attracting both indigenes and foreigners to seek
wealth-creating opportunities. To this end, he told the audience which included
the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, Dr Oby Ezekwesili both PDP and APC
members of the National Assembly, former Governor Chinweoke Mbadinuju and
several others that Anambra State Investment Agency, ANSIPPA, charged with the
mandate of attracting and fast-tracking investments in the state has so far
attracted over $4.2 billion deals to the state.
The latest investment
he confirmed was sealed on Tuesday last week with Zolt Energy Limited to build
a 40 megawatts Embedded Power Generating Plant in Ogbaru. When completed in the
next 18 months as scheduled, all the power generated from it will be
distributed mainly in Anambra State. On the state of agriculture, Obiano who
was giving a score card of his two and half years stay in office disclosed that
“in January this year, Anambra made headlines when it became the first state in
Nigeria to export vegetables (Ugu and Onugbu) valued at $5million to Europe. At
the same time, our locally produced brand of rice known as Anambra Rice
recently emerged the Best Rice in Africa at an African Products Forum in Lagos.
Anambra Rice was adjudged better and more wholesome than other competing brands
from South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia and Cameroon.
” Our agricultural sector has also attracted investments
from 7 companies valued at $1.011bn while the large industrial farms have
pushed our local rice production from 90,000 metric tons to 210,000 metric
tons. At this rate, we shall soon surpass the 320,000 metric tons we consume in
Anambra State per annum” Obiano told the capacity crowd at the Congress Hall
that the Oil and Gas Advisory Committee headed by Dr.Emmanuel Egboga, the
former Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters has been charged
with drafting a comprehensive Blueprint for the Oil & Gas sector and
advising the State on the necessary steps that would ensure the recognition of
Anambra as the 10th Oil Producing State in Nigeria.
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