The apex-Igbo social-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and chairman, South-East Governors Forum, David Umahi, on Tuesday called on all Igbo sons and daughters to come back and invest in the region.
Governor Umahi and President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, gave the advice in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital during the Ebonyi Business Forum and the signing of business agreement with chief executive officers of business conglomerates.
The meeting was attended by notable businessmen and women from notable cities of Onitsha, Lagos, Aba and other commercial cities in the country.
Governor Umahi said he has created enabling environment for businesses to thrive and for investors to invest in Ebonyi State.
He further noted that 24 Chinese have indicated interests to invest in the state and have obtained shops at the newly constructed shopping mall in the state which he said has the capacity to employ over 25,000 unemployed youths.
“In Ebonyi, we have a law and this law has tied our government up and down, that you will not be afraid of any investment. No government policy can affect any investment in Ebonyi State.
“Even the mall, even though we are renting the mall per month but the agreement we are signing for anybody taking the mall is for 99 years. Every five years, we look at the rate to review it. I will not be afraid to say, that for Ebonyians who are born here, I will give them concession.”
He also promised to complete the first floor at the terminal building at the airport before December.
“Some peopleple think the airport project is an impossibility but we are going to host our end of the year party at the first floor of the terminal building at the airport,” he stated.
On his part, Chief Nwodo emphasized the need for the people of the zone to go into agriculture which he described as the best considering the economic situation of the country.
“Our people should come back home and invest. We should go into agriculture and digital technology where the world is going to. We must turn our Igboland into Catalonia of Spain, into what Bayern is to Germany. If you go to Spain, you can’t go into business without Catalonia, if you go to Germany, you can’t do any business without Bayern.
“Onitsha and Aba markets in Anambra and Abia are almost coming to that. Here in Ebonyi, the governor is almost turning the state into Bayern of Igboland because of the phenomenal growth the state has recorded under the present administration in the state,” Nwodo stated.
Other dignitaries in attendance including HRM Prof. Igwe Achebe (Obi of Onitsha), Senator Ben Bruce and Gen. Obi Umahi (RTD), commended Governor Umahi for the physical structures he has put everywhere in the state including human capital development which is better than what it is anywhere else in Nigeria.
Prince Tony Nweze (of Computer Village, Lagos) on his part assured Governor Umahi of their partnership.
“What is happening in Ebonyi State now is like what is happening in China. In China.”
