Edo Eyes N2bn Investment in Tourism, Others

•Explains how state emerged best in W’Bank rating

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, is scheduled to receive a delegation of the trade mission from the Miami- Dade County, Florida, United States of America, who are expected to explore opportunities for investment in the state’s tourism, maritime and aviation sectors, among others.

The Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Co-operatives, Afie Braimoh, was quoted in a statement to have said this in Benin City. He said the trade mission delegation were expected to be in Benin City, the Edo State capital, between June 18 and 19, 2022.

She said the 40-man delegation would include four Miami Commissioners, among other top US-based investors, who would explore various opportunities for partnership and investment in the state, leveraging the reforms and business-friendly environment as well as incentives provided by the Obaseki-led administration to support business growth and sustainability.

The commissioner said the government was pursuing programmes and reforms aimed at engendering sustainable growth and development and ensuring economic prosperity for Edo people, reassuring that the investors will leverage the opportunity of the visit to invest in new frontiers.

Braimoh disclosed that she struck the deal for the investment meet during her last visit to America where she met with the County’s Director of Protocol and International Affairs for Miami International Airport, Mr. Desmond Alufohai, who hails from Sabo-Ora, Owan West Local Government Area of the state.

She noted that the County Director has facilitated several annual trade missions across Africa and other continents for years.

Braimoh said the team has a special interest in investment in Africa’s tourism, maritime, and aviation sectors.

Meanwhile, the Project Coordinator of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) in Edo State, Dr. Tom Obaseki, has said the several people-centric infrastructural projects constructed across the state by NEWMAP, in line with the government’s vision of ensuring environmental sustainability and improving the living standards of the people, earned the state the recognition as the best-performing state by World Bank.

The World Bank recently named Edo State as the best-performing state since the inception of the project in 2012. The state was said to have defeated 22 other beneficiary states to clinch the national award.

The Edo NEWMAP Project Coordinator, in a statement in Lagos, said the honour was on the back of the support of Obaseki.

 He said, “The efforts and commitment of the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki at implementing infrastructural renewal and sustainable development initiatives in Edo earned NEWMAP in the state the rain of awards at the just-concluded closing/valedictory session for the NEWMAP project in Abuja.

“Edo State came out tops in three categories, which is the highest winning by any state out of the 23 NEWMAP participating states. The categories are best overall performing state; best in Disbursement/Engineering/Civil Works/Bio-Engineering, and best in Counterpart Funding. These are in addition to coming as runner up in several other categories.”