From: JOHN ADAMS, MINNA
In a bid to rejuvenate the economy, re-energise the small-medium enterprise and re-position agriculture of Niger State, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, has opened the flanks of the state to Chinese investors.
The governor, at the just concluded Nigeria-China Governors’ Investment Forum in Guangzhou, China, highlighted the vast economic potentials of the state and the readiness of his administration to partner with Chinese investors in developing the state.
In a statement, issued in Minna, on Monday, by the Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the governor, Mr. Jide Orintunsin, said that the governor, while in China addressed and held meetings with vast spectrum of Chinese investors and sought for their cooperation and investment in infrastructure projects, such as energy, highways, railways, airport, agriculture, tourism, youth and women empowerment.
At the investment forum, Governor Sani Bello told investors of the desire of his administration to rejuvenate the economy of the state by re-energising the small-medium enterprise (SME) and by re-positioning agricultural sector, which is the mainstay of the state.
The governor noted that, being the state with the largest ariable land mass in the country and with the highest collection of water bodies, the agrarian state, which is fertile for many farm produce is open to investors.
“Ours is an agrarian state. Our land is fertile for virtually all farm produce, the large collection of water bodies make investment in the agricultural sector of the state a viable and profitable one.
“I beckon on investors in the textile industry to cash on the high quality cotton produced by our farmers to venture into establishing textile manufacturing companies in the state while our rice fields are also open to investors in Rice milling and processing factories,” the governor pleaded with investors.
He noted that the state house the nation’s three hydro electricity dams with the fourth one under construction at Zungeru and appealed to investors to help develop two other viable sites recently identified as suitable for construction of hydro power generating dams in the state.
On tourism, the governor cited the opportunities abound in the development of the proposed multi-purpose Sagunu Beach Resort in Borgu Local Government being conceived by his administration and the development of the nation’s premier water fall at Gurara in Gurara Local Government area of the state.
He also invited investors to partner with the state in the development of Minna Cargo Airport and the proposed Minna Airport City Development, stressing that the strategic location of the airport and the state will ease cargo transportation in the entire northern region of the country.
Gov. Sani Bello then assured investors of security of their investment, friendly tax regime and stressed that adequate legislation has been put in place to protect all ventures while necessary conducive business environment created.
The governor has since returned to the state.