The Governor, Dr Alex Otti has inaugurated the Board and Management of the Abia state Public Private Partnership and Investment Promotion Agency with Sir Chinedu Chijioke as Director-General.
Other members of the newly inaugurated Board include Pastor Gabriel Ekpendu, Mr Uchenna Nnaoma,Mr Nkemdirim Okoroafor while Dr Collins Ulu will serve as Secretary and Legal Adviser.
Speaking while inaugurating the Board, Governor Otti said that members of the board were appointed based on experience and track record in investment promotion.
The Governor noted that members of the board are men of skills with proven competence, adding that his administration does not consider one’s state of origin in appointment but ability to deliver.
He described private sector participation as key for the growth, development and survival of the economy of any society and noted that his administration has been busy putting in place an investment-friendly atmosphere to guarantee 100 percent return on investment.
“When we came in we found out that a lot of work needed to be done to get the state ready for the assignment, that’s promoting investments and seeking partnerships with the private sector and that we have done.
“I have always said the private sector and investors are very smart,they think with their feet and can get information hundreds of miles away, sitting in the comforts of their homes, and they can not come to you until things are fixed,so if you do not make the atmosphere conducive to attract businesses, to attract investment they will not come”, Otti stated.
The Governor disclosed that Abia was recently listed along side Lagos and the FCT by the National Bureau of statistics as one of the major magnets of foreign direct investments in Nigeria over the past 12 months and vowed to keep the flag flying.
“For us ,creating a conducive environment was much more important than looking for investment,I have just said from where we are coming from that the national bureau of Statistics has just said apart from Lagos and Abuja that Abia state is the next investment destination in terms of foreign direct investments.
“I have just said that these are investments that just came on the basis of what they know we can do, we did not go to them”, Gov Otti assured.
Responding on behalf of other members of the board, The DG, Abia Public Private Partnership and Investment Promotions Sir Chinedu Chijioke thanked Governor Otti for finding them worthy of the assignment and promised that they will justify the confidence reposed in them.
