Essential Ndubuisi
By Tai Emeka Obasi.
For those that misinform, whether in ignorance or pure mischief, that Engr Chris Emeka Azubogu is claiming Federal Government projects, it is about time they got this education on the processes of attracting the Nnewi Automotive Industrial Park to the Southeast.
The workaholic representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber went through many series of fact-based presentations to convince relevant authorities to not only agree to site the $250 million project in the Southeast but also nearer home to Nnewi in Anambra State.
The thought processes of the project started during the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, where only three of such industrial parks were approved to boost industrialisation in the country. As a young member of NASS, he went into superior presentations that as the most automotive industrialised town in West Africa, that no area in the country deserved to have an automotive industrial park sited around her than Nnewi, where there is already existing big market.
It took time but a progressive government like the one GEJ drove saw the wisdom in the young man’s arguments and gave approval. But that wasn’t all it required. In fact, it was only the beginning but a good one.
During the presentation of the project proposal, Channels television covered it. After watching the coverage, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO invited Azubogu to their office in Abuja to make further presentation. Their conviction prompted their writing to their office in Geneva to stir international attention.
While the international and local interests were garnering momentum, he had a serious challenge – where to get the required parcels of land to accommodate the massive project. Luckily, HE Peter Obi was still the governor of his state. A man of equal dispensation to progressive future didn’t need to be convinced about the huge economic gains of such vision. However, question remains – where can over 170 hectares of land be found in or very close to Nnewi for this dream?
The one fondly called Mr Project went searching and his search landed at a cluster of land within three communities of Unubi, Akwa Ihedi and Uga. Convincing one community in Anambra to let go of such massive land was difficult enough, convincing three was nothing less than herculean.
But fully backed by Obi’s government, it was possible to convince all three communities. Nonetheless, it didn’t come on a platter. There were two stages of compensations of which only the first phase was achieved before Obi handed over to Governor Willie Obiano. Yes, government is a continum but always easier said than done. It was another process of convincing the new government of Obiano that the state government needed to complete the compensation or risk the project being taken away from Nnewi axis and even from the Southeast entirely.
While on this, President Muhammadu Buhari came into power. Another government to convince to let the project and its location be. Eventually, Obiano completed the compensation. And still backed by foreign and local private partners, Buhari did not alter the approval of the government before his. By now ECORYS in Holland has taken over to do the feasibility studies free, a task that would have cost the Federal Government a million dollars.
Today, the massive perimeter fencing of the huge project site is nearing completion.
With 25,000 assured direct employment and 10,000 SMEs to spring off at immediate take off, one could imagine the economic boost as well as the huge IGR potential.
Very importantly, when next you hear of Azubogu attracting projects, better imagine the effort he puts into that.
Yesterday, February 2, at Agulu, Mr Project hinted of a similar industrial park at Agulu. He was addressing members of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP while notifying the 18-member LGA executives and 17-member ward executives as well as party stakeholders of all the 19 wards in Aniocha LGA of his intention to run for the candidacy of his party for the Anambra State Gubernatorial election coming up in November 6, 2021.
“The second biggest and most modern food and pharmaceutical laboratory in Nigeria is the one here in Agulu, which was attracted by our great sister, Professor Dora Akunyili. May God continue to bless her soul.
“But that huge facility is being seriously under utilised. Plans are at advanced stage to change all that.
“Like I did with Nnewi Automotive Industrial Park, we are going to site a food and pharmaceutical industrial park around the Agulu axis. We’re looking for the required 50 to 100 hectares of land within this axis to make the dream a reality. And we will get it because the big players in the industry, like Emzor, are from Anambra. Moreover, it makes so much economic sense, talking about the expected thousands of direct and indirect employment as well as the IGR prospects.
“Don’t forget that the biggest pharmaceutical market in West Africa is nearby at Head Bridge, Onitsha. We can’t have such begging advantage and not harness it. Any governor in Nigeria has the powers to develop his or her state independent of the Federal Government. All needed are the know-how and the will.
“We are interested in massively industrialising our state because that is the source of IGR and not exploiting poor market women all over for tax collection,” he informed.
Hon Azubogu said many more, making the audience watch him in awe while marvelling at his level of knowledge and preparedness to serve as the governor of his state.
Keep following because…
