Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, says that the proposed Aba Commercial Smart City, a strategically situated Public-Private Partnership investment hub sitting on a 140-hectare land at Osisioma, will, on completion, launch Aba into an industrial centre for sustainable economic development and job creation.
Otti, who was speaking on Wednesday during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Aba Commercial Smart City and United Market Leaders/Traders held in Umuahia, noted that the project, when realised, will practically transform the state and modernise trade, commerce, manufacturing and logistics.
Otti, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, said that the project is also in line with the vision of his administration towards creating prosperity among the people.
He assured the investment partners, Equatorial Marine Oil and Gas Ltd, EMOG Group, of a conducive business environment, adding that the needed infrastructure and other requirements have been put in place for the smooth take-off and realisation of the project.
“So what we are saying today is a reflection of that vision, that once the right atmosphere, the right environment has been created, investors will come. Investors are not emotional.
“When we talk about the Aba Commercial Smart City, it is a project that will significantly transform Aba and indeed Abia.”
In an address by the Group Managing Director of Aba Commercial Smart City, Professor Chinedu Nebo, represented by the President, Aba Commercial Smart City, Amb. Osita Offor, he said that the project, which is the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa, is also a bold stride towards positioning Abia as a global gateway to Africa’s commerce and industrial revolution.
He said that the Aba Commercial Smart City is a symbol of prosperity through enterprise, designed to restore Aba’s pride as Africa’s commercial heartbeat and connect it seamlessly to global trade corridors.
In his technical speech, the Manager, Technical Services, Aba Commercial Smart City, Mr David Okoro, said that the project is built on four core pillars of innovation, including automated manufacturing, medical, commerce, hospitality and smart housing, logistics efficiency and smart energy, noting that the smart city is a resilient city where business thrives on intelligence and connectivity.
He noted that the project, with an e-commerce platform integrated with bonded terminals, will put an end to importers’ struggles by enabling cross-border transactions from home, with goods delivered straight to their doorstep.
According to Mr Okoro, the economic benefits of the project are enormous, as it would boost the state’s IGR and create 25,000 direct and 100,000 indirect jobs across construction, ICT, manufacturing and retail.
In his remarks, the Group Vice Chairman and former Inspector General of Police, Dr Mike Okiro, said Governor Otti is, through the project, restoring the lost glory of Aba as the commercial and industrial hub of Nigeria, adding that many investors are bringing their monies for the timely actualisation of the project for the benefit of Abians and Nigerians at large.
Fielding questions from newsmen, the President, Leather Products Manufacturers Association of Abia State, Deacon Confidence Nwobilo, used the opportunity to call on the government, foreign and local investors, private sector players and individual members “to find ways to invest in our industrial sectors for the industrial development of our state for economic development and importance, which will create employment opportunities and increase our GDP”.
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