By Chimezie Anaso
Awka – Chief Cyril Enweze, Chairman, Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), says the success of the Nov. 18 governorship election would further improve the investment climate in the state.
Enweze, who is also the traditional ruler of Umuoji community in Idemili South made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuoji on Sunday.
The renowned Economist said the political stability during and after the election as well as the economic blueprint of Gov. Willie Obiano who won the poll massively were great assurances that investors’ money were safe in Anambra.
He said the sceptical attitude of some of the investors in the build up to the election had given way and that ANSIPPA had already scheduled a meeting with new investors who had been calling for business talks.
“People who have been waiting to see the outcome of the election but now they have seen that it is 21 local government out of 21, it is unprecedented, they know that the governor is solidly entrenched and that their money is safe in Anambra.
“The investors are already coming back, some of them at some point were very jittery, they were afraid that a new administration will come and demolish everything that had been done, but now they know that the coast is clear.
“What this governor holds dear to his heart is the work of attracting investors.
“The secret is that the more investors we get to set up in Anambra, the more they help him to achieve his security objectives through employment.
“The more investors you can attract, the more you are able to build up your Internally Generated Revenue to compliment the federal allocation.
“These are the funds that will be used to execute development projects, as a visionary, Gov. Obiano is aware of these,’’ he said.
Enweze described investors as crucial stakeholders in an election who read the “economic weather’’ but were now confident that the security, investment-friendly environment and enabling policies that attracted them to Anambra in the last three years were still be obtainable.
According to him, Gov. Obiano has not said that he is going to change his economic policies and blueprints but rather that he is going to strengthen them and as an insider, I am very optimistic about this.
“Like I said, there was this wait-and-see attitude, where investors waited and listened to the tone at the debate where some candidates had said that they would bring down the bridge at Awka, others said that there was no investments in Anambra.
“But there are people who came with their money and invested in the state yet people were denying that fact.
“On a general note, I want to advise that people should not say careless things during election just because they want to win.
“Investors are smart and sensitive people, they are careful about the behavior of candidates in an election as it borders on their business, so Anambra is now more open for business,’’ he said.
The ANSIPPA chairman said that apart from providing market for firms and business, Anambra economy would be virile under Obiano following the major thrust of his campaign promises and their effects.
He expressed confidence that Obiano would deliver on his campaign promises for which he was overwhelmingly voted for a second term in office.
He said the Anambra Airport City, one of the biggest investments in Anambra was already in progress, noting that he was sure it would be completed on schedule.
“Obiano made certain promises during the campaigns; security is one of them, he is not going to let off on that and that is why Anambra is the safest state in the country under his administration.
“The projects are there and he has said that the communities choose your own project will be continued, the first round of that projects has ended and communities are going for the second phase, we can trust him on that.
“Road and infrastructure; he has promised to complete and commence new road projects, work is progressing in that area.
“We also have the Airport City project, the Chinese company executing the project are on ground and have started work at Umuleri.
“Workers salaries and payment of pensions I believe will continue, he is not going to change from `alert governor’ to `owing governor’, and you know that provides the best lubricant for any economy.
“Also, the investment drive will be intensified, he has not given us order to stop the drive we are doing, ANSIPPA has set up a meeting at the end of this month,” he said.
