Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has said that the proposed Enyimba Industrial Free Trade Zone, which is Public-private partnership (PPP) project between Abia State Government and Crown Realities Group, is expected to create more than one million jobs for the teeming unemployed youths in the state.
According to a release by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary Enyinnaya Appolos, Governor Ikpeazu spoke at an interactive forum with stakeholders from Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Ugwunagbo Local Government Areas where the Trade Zone would be located.
Governor Ikpeazu who explained that governance is about creating better life for the people, noted that land is supposed to be put into good use to impact positively generations to come, hence, the need to accept the project by the communities.
He said the project which would be financed by local and international investors is located 30 minutes away from two seaports at Onne and Port Harcourt making it easy for the investors to move their goods.
He urged the communities to own the project by participating from start to finish and revealed that the Trade Zone when ready will have uninterrupted power supply.
“My greatest achievement when I leave office as Governor will be to ensure the completion of the Enyimba Industrial Free Zone. And we must achieve this project together. If we fail to actualize this project, all of us will regret because our generations unborn will be unhappy with us. Therefore we need to think strategically, we need to think about tomorrow, on the need to plant a seed that will germinate tomorrow”, he said.
Dr Ikpeazu assured that the land owners as well as the host communities would be adequately compensated, while their dues will be managed by any bank of their choice.
Speaking on the success recorded so far on the project, Dr Darl Uzu, CEO of Crown Realities, the lead partner in the project, said that international firms such as Java already bought into the project.
He explained the project is designed and planned by Surbana Jurang Group, the same group the designed and planned Singapore trade zone and stressed the importance of the Enyimba trade zone to the state and host communities.
