Bayelsa Investment Forum Paying Off- Gov Dickson

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson said yesterday that hosting investment and economic forum is paying off with the inflow of about $500 million businesses. The governor, who disclosed this in a special interview programme on radio and television, noted that several investors were already holding talks with government officials to explore business opportunities.In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the governor said the state has gained the confidence of investors through the creation of a friendly investment climate, including donation of land to encourage private sector participation to stimulate economic growth.

His words: “We spent the last two years and some months laying the foundation, creating a conducive environment to woo investors and with the co-operation of all Bayelsans, we are getting out of the foundation level, so God willing and we move the way we are doing, serious business people within and outside Nigeria will invest in power, others are investing in agriculture.

Highlighting agriculture and power generation as critical sectors that require private sector involvement, he explained that designs and survey work on the proposed industrial park have been concluded. He said it has the capacity not only to create employment, but attract subsidiary companies in view of its proximity to gas resources.

On agriculture, the governor said a lot of strategic investments were ongoing such as the construction of the biggest cassava processing plant in the country at Ebedebiri in Sagbama Local Government Area, as well as the construction of an aqua-culture farm at Ogbogoro in Yenagoa with the capacity to produce 3,000 tonnes of fish for local consumption and export.

“We want to be number one in agriculture and aqua-culture. We have a palm plantation and we are encouraging people to come and work with us to expand it. And we have a lot of investors coming and holding meetings with my team. And, I told them, if they even need any land for palm production I will grant it. This is the time for this state to make that investment. So that in the next five years or so, whatever happens to oil prices in the international market, we will not be too seriously affected.

“You are all aware of what is happening with the discovery of shale oil and gas, at the time that the heat will come, whoever will be governor at that time would deal with that crisis with the over-bloated wagebill that we have and everybody depending on government, it would be a major disaster and it is that disaster that, we are working hard to mitigate,” he said.

On the trainees from the Songhai Farms in Benin Republic, Dickson said the government must concretize its policy on small and medium enterprises to enable government incorporates them in the N25 billion scheme.

Shedding light on the partnership of the state international cargo airport under construction, he explained that the government was handling the critical aspects of the project, which include acquisition of land, payment of compensation, sand-filling of the site, construction of the runway, while the Federal Government was in charge of the terminal building and the airport are expected to be completed by the end of next year.

SOURCE: THE SUN

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