Abia Is Open For Business, Otti Woo Investors

Abia State Governor Dr Alex Otti has appealed to foreign investors to invest in the state, declaring that his administration is open for business as it is a government of partnerships.

Governor Otti appealed when he received a delegation of Haier Global Business led by its director of Africa, Mr. Sunny Liu, who called on him.

He explained that the partnership his administration seeks with various manufacturers and investors is not for the government to be patronising the companies but for them to add economic value to the state.

“Our government is a government of partnerships. In the last 22 months, we have engaged with the private sector like you on the basis of a public-private partnership.

“Our partnership is not about patronising you, but it is about having you set up a manufacturing base here.

“I can see you manufacture tractors, you get involved in agriculture, you get involved in electronics, just name it. We have a very strong market here, and that is also another attraction.

The Abia Chief Executive further assured Haier Global Business of his support if it set up its investment in Abia State. He said that the government team would engage with the company to get details of how the state and the company could partner.

He emphasised that if the company produces here, it would make business easy for Abia residents and add to the economic development of Abia State.

“I am sure you know about Aba. If you get into Aba, there is no way you will not see a chunk of your products.

“They do travel to other places to get them. So, if you were manufacturing around here, then it would reduce the prices by cutting out logistics costs.

“For us, what is most important is that jobs are created. When you are producing here, you are also increasing the economic base of the state in terms of GDP and even IGR.

“My team would engage with you so that we can begin to narrow down what it is that you require us to do, and we will approach these things very quickly,” Gov. Otti assured.

Earlier, the Director of Africa, Haier Global Business, Sunny Liu, said that they came for possible collaborations with the Abia State Government.

Mr. Liu highlighted that the organisation is a leading service provider of better life and digital solutions and is interested in partnering with the state in areas such as education, energy, and agriculture, adding that the areas of interest are not limited to these three.

Also speaking, the Haier Global Representative, Mr. Uche Chime, while noting that they are interested in partnering with the Governor in developing the state, said that they are setting up an assembly plant in Enugu.

He said that they are also looking at having conversations with the governor to see how to have a manufacturing base in Abia State, adding that they would be glad to have such discussions with the state government.

He said that the group is also interested in the state government’s smart school initiative and supply of solar systems, IT equipment, indoor classrooms, as well as e-classroom solutions.

Present during the meeting are the Honourable Commissioner for Science and Technology, Hon. David Kalu; the Honourable Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hon. Goodluck Ubochi; the Director-General of Public-Private Partnership and Investment Promotion, Mr. Chinedu Chijioke; the Chief Information Officer to the Abia State Government, Mr. Gerald Ilukwe; and the Principal Secretary and Chief Strategy Officer, Mr. Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu, among others.

Abia Is Open For Business, Otti Woo Investors is first published on The Whistler Newspaper