Anambra Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has moved swiftly to reposition the state as a major industrial hub in West Africa with a hugely successful convocation of industrialists of Anambra origin in Awka who he called on to join hands with his government to fast track the industrialisation of the State.

Governor Obiano yesterday set the Anambra industrial agenda before some of West Africa’s leading industrialists who are incidentally from Anambra State when he observed at the gathering that it was odd to realise that with such an array of frontline industrialists, the state was lagging behind others in industrial production and output.

The governor explained it was one of the key objectives of his administration to attract local and foreign investors to the state. He however observed that foreign investors would be reluctant to come to Anambra if the state’s own indigenous industrialists did not show enough interest in investing in Anambra State.

Obiano further expressed confidence that with the help of Anambra’s large tribe of entrepreneurs and industrialists, the state would witness a transformation that would catapult it to the forefront of frontline industrialising hubs of Africa.

Noting that the mission of his administration was to make Anambra the first choice destination for local and foreign investors, the governor maintained expressed optimism that with the anticipated rise in industrial activities under his regime, Anambra would soon have enough jobs for the teeming population of youths in the state.

Said he: “We are building a data bank to know the number of the unemployed in the state. We are also putting in place a socially stable business environment with a one-stop shop investment board which will streamline processes and make things easier for investors.”

With respect to security of lives and property, the governor explained that his administration had declared war on criminal elements in the state with the recent launching of a Joint Task Force of Security which has been yielding the desired result with the arrest of suspects and recovery of arms and ammunition and hard drugs in Onitsha axis.

He also appealed to the industrialists to contribute generously to the Anambra State Security Trust Fund which would soon be formally launched to create a large pool of funds for sustaining the all-out war on crime in the state.

Speaking further, Governor Obiano explained that wholesale implementation of the four Pillars of his Wheel of Development for Anambra which include Agriculture, Oil and Gas Industrialisation, and Trade and Commerce would open wider frontiers of opportunities across the state. He posited that building markets of international standards and promoting electronic commerce would expand the scope of trade and commerce.

Responding to the governor’s appeal, some of the industrialists including the Chief Executive Officer of Coscharis Group, Chief Cosmos Maduka, thanked the governor for his foresight and inclusive approach to governance. He assured that with the provision of effective security network and a conducive business environment, the state would harvest an upsurge in investment. Other speakers like Chief Agulu, Uzodike, Chief G.U.O Okeke, of GUO transport spoke in support of the Governor’s plan to industrialise the state.

Earlier, Director General of the Nigeria Chamber of Shipping, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Anazonwu, had commended Governor Obiano for the State’s development blueprint which she said had given the people high hopes of better things ahead. She stressed the need for Anambra State to seek collaborations with the neighbouring states in the area of transportation to open up the state for serious industrial activities pointing out that industrialising Anambra would benefit tremendously with the cooperation of its sisters-states.

•Photo shows Governor Willie Obiano (R) conferring with Dr. Dozie Ikedife, former President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo and Chairman, Anambra State Council of Elders. on the best steps to take to industrialise Anambra State.

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