Counting on Gov. Ottis’ drive to Grow Abia Economy by improving the Ease of Doing Business
Counting on Gov. Ottis’ drive to Grow Abia Economy by improving the Ease of Doing Business
By Chukwuma Elvis
Before now, it was an obvious fact that Abia was not an investment destination rather all existing ones had all but exited owing to the overwhelming constriction experienced as a result of an unfriendly business environment. Manufacturers and global brands which were household names in Aba the commercial hub of the state and Umuahia were all closed leaving just one or two in a location that at some point could boast of several manufacturers churning out various products for both local consumption and for export.
Currently those citadels of manufacturing, which employed thousands of Abians in the haydays are now empty buildings occupied by spiders, cobwebs and rodents living and feasting off abandoned equipment and production lines left by expatriates who simply ‘cut and ran’ when they could no longer bear the crushing weight of an unfriendly environment with the ease of doing business falling to an unimaginable level.
Sad to say that people were in positions of authority and leadership while this situation persisted; deteriorating to the point that the centre could no longer hold leaving Abia with the worst investment friendly environment. This became common knowledge among producers and the big manufacturers of local and global brands despite the abundance of both skilled and unskilled labour.
With the prevailing economic position of Abia as result of its unfriendly investment climate, Governor Alex Otti really had his work cut out coming to office! Thankfully, the man Otti is a first class Economist and has served at the highest levels in the banking sector managing men, finance and other investment variables yielding excellent results. Therefore it can be argued that none other better person could have been given the job of revamping the comatose Abia economy.
On coming to office, Gov. Otti noted that as a matter of urgency, the ease of doing business in the state must be improved upon significantly and quickly because he understood clearly the synergy between politics and the economy. One can not do without the other and good politics must drive an economy up and not bring it down. Therefore riding on the popular mandate of the People into office as governor, Gov. Otti knew that Abians earnestly desired a revival of Abia economy.
Gov. Otti immediately identified security and access as key components in his quest to improve the ease of doing business in the state knowing that no investor will commit a dollar in an environment he can not sleep with his two eyes closed owing to insecurity and without unfettered access to his investment location. Insecurity breeds fear and fear scares investors away!
Also poor infrastructure particularly motorable roads dampens the enthusiasm of investors leading to a rapid loss of confidence and withdrawal of initial commitments to friendlier location. Fate alone can count how many promising investments would have been lost by the state during the locust years as a result of a general poor state of infrastructure particularly roads.
To further drive the vision to improve the ease of doing business in Abia, Gov. Alex Otti recently took a bold step in setting up a state council on the ease of doing business whose focus will be to keep Abia high up on the list of states in the country with the most ease in attracting investors and keeping same.
The council is chaired by the deputy governor of the state Engr. Ikechi Emetu and it’s mandate is to ‘ensure a comprehensive reform of the business regulatory environment to provide optimum service to investors’. The state has also adopted the State Business Enabling Reform Action Plan 2024 presented by the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on the ease of doing business Agbonma Jennifer Ukaobasi who is also secretary of the council on the ease of doing business.
Realising the importance of Land as a critical element among the factors of production, the state government decided to disentangle the web associated with obtaining a certificate of occupancy with the directive by the governor for all new applications for a title deed to any landed property be processed within thirty days by the Ministry of Lands and housing.
This is to encourage investors set up shop in Abia as quickly as possible without the age old draw backs associated with the endless wait to obtain a certificate of occupancy. Abia government has further made starting a business in the state easier by abolishing payment of the Abia Physical Planning and Infrastructural Development fee, a move which was greeted with resounding applause, generating positive reactions from would be investors.
Many who have taken advantage of this investment friendly policy initiative of the government, have testified to its effectiveness in aiding the quest to establish business concerns in the state without being encumbered by unnecessary beaurocratic bottle necks which in the past were a major discouragement to would be investors.
A conducive environment for business investment creates confidence which is contagious as investments from willing investors will flow smoothly to such location. The Abia Industrial, Innovation Park -AIIP- is conceived to create an investment hub which provides all that an investor will require to establish and nurture a business. A petroleum refinery and a motor vehicle manufacturing firm are currently under construction at the AIIP.
There is no gainsaying that the drive in creating jobs to engage the teeming Abia youths both skilled and unskilled can only be made possible if the investment environment is made conducive through the ease of doing business. This is the vision of Gov. Alex Otti leading to the promise that his government will focus on massive job creation to engage Abians.
A spur on improving the ease of doing business in Abia is the move by the government of Gov. Alex Otti to revive moribund industries and establishments hitherto engaged in massive production of goods and employment but forced to shutdown owing to an unconducive investment environment. Working through the office of the Special Adviser on trade, the government has identified and is making representation to those firms with the offer of support to help bring them back on stream.
Imagine the impact of this on Abia economy if at the minimum fifty percent of moribund firms are revived, employing as many Abia youths as possible while producing goods to be consumed within the state and also for export? This will no doubt have a quantum effect on our local economy and even the region will be impacted massively leading to an improved GDP for the region and IGR for Abia.
The government of the day recognises that Abia has the human capital potential and material resources to be an economic leader in the country. Finding the right mix is the midas touch which Governor Otti is bringing into the equation by improving the ease of doing business to harness these potentials for the benefit of all.
Suddenly, investors from the country and from abroad are willing to do business with Abia. Many have come calling on the government with mouth watering investment propositions willing to stake millions in hard currency on investments in God’s own state because they believe in the ability of the man on the saddle to protect and nurture their investments to profitability.
At last help has come to Abia economy – the old unprofitable and unsustainable order is set aside – a positive paradigm shift has occurred and it is in the best interest of all people of goodwill. Governor Alex Chioma Otti represents this interest and has pledged repeatedly that under his watch Abia resources will be applied to better the lot of all Abians.
A new dawn is hear with the coming of Governor Alex Otti and his team of technocrats poised to ensure that Abia economy grows in leaps and bounds and delivers to Abians’ economic emancipation and development in the place of wantonness and rudderlessness of the past.
Indeed a new dawn is in Abia.
Chukwuma Elvis is a public Affairs Commentator