Enugu Safe for Investment, Say Manufacturers

Manufacturers in Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States under the aegis of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) have described Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State as “a visionary and pragmatic leader”, who has brought his ingenuity to bear in the effective governance of the state for the overall interest of the people.

The manufacturers said they were impressed with Ugwuanyi’s “unparallel achievements on infrastructural development, peace and security,” saying: “Enugu State is one of the safest states in the country to live and do business, as widely adjudged by various reports.”

Speaking on behalf of members of the association when they paid a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House, Enugu, the branch Chairman, Chief Alloy Okafor, noted that Enugu is “perhaps the only state you can walk free without fear of molestation or waylay even in the wee hours,” adding that “worthy of note is police patrol vehicles prowl almost every streets and crannies on hourly basis.”

Okafor explained that the visit was “borne out of the need to commend His Excellency for a job well done so far and also to thank you as you have demonstrated once again your ardent believe in dialogue as the only viable option to air issues and the best mechanism of feed backs.”
He also enumerated other areas where the governor has made giant strides in infrastructural development of the state saying that “the construction and maintenance of state and federal government roads are things that gladdens the hierarchy of the association.

“Though the association might be oblivious of how much the federal government is owing you on intervention on federal roads. However, it warms the heart that your government is more concerned about the welfare of the citizens and Nigerians at large that ply these roads daily.

“Your Excellency Sir, kudos also goes to your administration on provision of street lights, continuous beautification and neatness of the streets, which has kept diseases and germs away from the state, bearing in mind that Lassa fever and other contagious diseases are ravaging some states in the country. The continuous sustenance and inculcation of good-house-keeping culture by the governor has kept the state clean, safe and habitable,” MAN chairman said.

The chairman therefore, urged the governor to sustain the tempo and assured him of the association’s unflinching support to his administration.

Responding, Ugwuanyi stated that his administration has since inception been striving on how to make Enugu state the economic hub of the country, stating that his council on the Ease of Doing Business in Enugu State has, in addition to other enabling provisions, encouraged and assisted investors in this direction.

The governor who was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo added that the administration has “been doing our best to sustain a conducive environment for businesses to thrive in Enugu state, especially through our massive investment in security and social infrastructural development.”

According to Ugwuanyi, “only recently, we inaugurated the Enugu State Ease of Doing Business Council (SEODBC). The council is charged with the primary role of implementing the national Ease of Doing Business Action Plan with particular attention being given to six critical indicators out of the eleven recommended by the World Bank.

“This includes starting a business, registering a property, access to land, regulatory environment, and security.”

The governor also stated that “these and other measures including our efforts to attract direct foreign investment are geared towards helping us achieve our aspiration of making Enugu state the hub of business activities in the South-east region and the choice destination for investments in Nigeria.”

He thanked the Enugu business community for their support and assured the association of his administration’s readiness towards industrialising the state.