₦airaland Forum

investnow2013:
Anambra is on the Rise!

An Address presented by the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano during the Flag off of the Umueri International Cargo Airport Project on April 11, 2017

Ndi Anambra, three years into my first term in office, I stand before you today to answer the call of history. In Christian numerology, the number 3 is the number of perfect manifestation. So, three years into my administration, the Lord God Almighty has given us a new VISION and a new SONG!

Umu nnem, our elders say that na Ugo gbuzuo, ochakee! Anambra State has finally hit the bend in the river and our famous can-do spirit has now taken over! From now on, we have nothing more to fear! Nothing! Not even ourselves!

Ndi Anambra, when I took over the reins of leadership of this great state three years ago, I delivered an Inaugural Address titled – Expanding the Frontiers of Excellence. The historic ceremony we have gathered to perform here today is a very important step in expanding the frontiers of excellence in Anambra State!

Indeed, it is important to note that my Team and I have got a few things right in the past three years. Against all expectations and at a time of great economic recession, we have established our beloved state as a compelling investment destination and attracted investments valued at over 5 billion US Dollars. And with this airport city project, the figure now stands at 7.2 billion US Dollars. We have also successfully placed Anambra on the agricultural map and blazed a trail with the exportation of our farm produce to the UK. In addition, we have positioned Anambra as the safest state in Nigeria and completely re-engineered the social architecture of our beloved state. Finally, we have re-awakened self-belief among our people and provoked their can-do spirit. Ladies and gentlemen, Anambra is finally on the RISE!

Ndi Anambra, what we have come to flag off in Umeri today is not your usual airport project. Mbanu! Nke anyi di iche! What we are flagging off today is an Airport City Project with a model that will accommodate an airport with two runways, an aviation fuel dump, an airport hotel, an industrial business park, an international convention centre as well as a facility for aircraft maintenance. The Umueri airport city project is conceived to join some of the most advanced airports in the world with a capacity to land any of the most sophisticated vessels known to man today. It sits on 1500 hectares of land with enough elbowroom for expansion from Ivite Umueri to neighbouring communities such as Nando, Umunya, Otuocha, Aguleri, Nteje, Nsugbe and beyond.

The project is estimated to cost over 2 billion US Dollars. It is a partnership between the Government of Anambra State, Orient Petroleum Resources Limited and Elite International Investments Limited (Sinoking Enterprises Limited).

Under the contractual agreement, Elite International Investments Limited will provide all the funds needed for the project under the Build-Operate-Manage-and-Transfer arrangement. However under the same SPV arrangement, the Anambra Airport City Infrastructure Limited has allocated 75% equity stake to Elite International Investments Limited, 20% to Oreint Petroleum Resources Limited and 5% to the Government of Anambra State. The host communities are entitled to 3% of the profit from this project in perpetuity as a part of the standard corporate social responsibility.

Indeed, the economic benefits of the Umueri Airport City Project are enormous. It is expected to generate 1,200 direct and 3600 indirect jobs. We expect that Ndi Anambra will grab 70% of these jobs in continuation of our efforts to create wealth and prosperity for our people. It will also provide an opportunity for training and skills transfer to our people. I have no doubts whatsoever that this project will have a tremendous impact on the ease of doing business in Anambra State as it opens a direct access by air to our vast markets. In particular, I hope that on completion, the Umueri Airport City Project will wipe out the difficulties our businessmen and women often encounter in exporting and importing goods and services and help in improving the entire supply chain.

Ladies and gentlemen, with this project and our subsequent plan for a light rail project, Anambra State will eventually assume its rightful place as a major commercial and industrial hub in the West African sub-region. As you are aware, my administration is intensely focused on building projects that have immense economic values. That is why we have concentrated efforts in building roads and bridges that either lead to industrial clusters or the oilfields or the agricultural belt of the state.

This Airport City Project follows the same trajectory. That is why we have established a strong synergy between Orient Petroleum Resources Plc and the Airport project with a view to operating an Aviation Fuel Segment that will attract both local and foreign airlines to refuel their aircraft in Umueri. This will no doubt open a new economic corridor for our beloved state as it is expected to stimulate growth in the oil and gas sector and multiply our revenue sources. It is my candid hope also that when this airport becomes operational, the world will have a direct and easy access to the vast tourism offerings of Ogbunike Cave and Ogbaukwu Caves and Waterfalls as well as the timeless archaeological treasures of Igboukwu!

Ndi Anambra, our beloved state is fast opening its doors to the world. Let us join hands and welcome the benefits that knock on our collective door!

Umu nnem, please, always remember that wherever you are and whatever you do, our ancestors left us with a timeless reminder that Aku luo uno, amalu onye kpalu ya!

My colleagues and I are waiting eagerly to receive you, go through your business plan and offer you the assistance you need to make your enterprise sink deep roots in the soil of Anambra State!

Ndi Anambra, chi efogo nu! Olugonu na omume!

God bless Anambra State!

God bless the shining light that we bear!

Dalunu!

Willie Obiano
Governor

profhezekiah:
And the blaming continue,when will it end

GloriaNinja:
See as they are rejoicing as if they are the ones that won the prize, that's why Nigeria is not moving forward.

Truth234:
The naira slid to 405 against the United States dollar on the parallel market on Friday amid tight supply of the greenback.

This was despite a series of currency forwards sold by the Central Bank of Nigeria this week aimed at clearing demand for the US currency on the official market, traders said.

The local unit had dropped to 397/dollar on Thursday, after hovering between 390 and 395 earlier in the week.

Following series of CBN interventions in the interbank market and fresh dollar injections for invisible transactions, the naira had appreciated to 375/dollar.

Analysts have reacted to the latest rebound of the dollar, saying speculators might be responsible for the loss recorded by the naira.

“The Nigerian economy is an import-dependent one. It is a question of demand and supply and the issue here has to do with liquidity. However, we cannot rule out the activities of speculators in this regard,” a currency expert at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ezun, said.

The CBN had on Thursday offered $100m in currency forwards to be settled within 60 days.

The central bank has been selling dollars to try to narrow the spread between the naira’s official and black market exchange rates.

On Wednesday, the CBN intervened in the Bureau de Change segment of the market, selling $10,000 to operators aside the $10,000 it sold to them on Tuesday.

The central bank had also on Monday injected $240m into the foreign exchange market.

Specifically, it released the sum of $90m to meet requests for invisibles such as business travel and personal travel allowances, medical and school fees, while the sum of $150m was also made available to authorised dealers in the interbank wholesale auction window on the same day.

Economic and financial analysts said the spate of interventions and dollar supply by the central bank would determine the direction of the naira in the coming weeks.

The naira closed at 306.2 to the dollar at the interbank market on Thursday, same level it closed the previous day.

http://investorsking.com/naira-slides-405-amid-tight-dollar-supply/