From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
A renowned estate investor and Mayor of Housing, My-Ace China, has said that the South-South and South-East economy needs branding to grow and bridge the dichotomy between them and Lagos State.
China stated this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the weekend, noting huge economic dichotomy between Lagos and the South-South and South-East regions.
According to him, when investors do not find the lucrative business environment they enjoy in Lagos in South-South and South-East regions, the last option would be to move to the former.
He said: “Our major obsession as a brand is spreading happiness. But, what we want to do in the South/South and South-East is to bridge the dichotomy between Lagos and South-South/South-East economic regions.
“There seems to be huge dichotomy between here (South/South and South-East) and Lagos. If you get to Lagos, it is a fast-paced fast-moving, highly capitalist and highly independent economy. Ironically, most of the people making these happen in Lagos are actually from the South-South/South East economic belt.
“One of the things we want to do is bridge the quality and activity gap to tame the gap. It’s not as if people here want to go spend money in Lagos; but, if they can’t find the kind of quality they find in Lagos, everybody naturally gravitates to Lagos.
“So, we want a kind of efficiency and quality that happen in Lagos to be at least represented here and inspire people to stay here. We want people to know that if it is possible in Lagos, it is possible here.
“When people here do not find what is in Lagos, they move to Lagos. Our brand is to make people to patronize here. If it is possible in Lagos is possible here. And whatever is possible anywhere is possible here
“Being overwhelmingly regarded, especially by the youths. It is a call for us to help the youths more. It is a motivation for us and a serious commitment to us because we are in pole position to strive harder.’
Speaking further, the Mayor of Housing stated that any failure on the side of the two regions to grow their economy would pull down a lot of investors and any success would also lift people.
He expressed: “For us, the greatest achievement you can have is not profit, but that your profit is lifting others to rise. For us, it is a huge motivation for us to stay on course and keep rising.”