By Ado Hassan, Sokoto
The Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah has said that the federal government’s Economic Recovery Growth Plan(ERGP) drive has strategically provided platform for the nation’s economic revival just a he unveiled plans for the establishment of Special Economic Zones across four states capable of attracting over $10 billion foreign direct investment.
According to the Minister, the initiative will further stimulate and provide a dependable roadmap for sustainable economic growth, development and diversification.
Speaking Thursday in Sokoto at the 9th Meeting of the National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Enelamah said the Ministry as a central hub for industrial development remain focused on creating the needed and right environment to fast track and attract industry, trade and investment into the country.
The SEZs according to Enelamah include Lekki(Lagos); Enyimba(Imo); Kano and Calabar in Cross River states as well as an auto industrial parks at Nnewi, Anambra state respectively.
The Minister also said that government had through the ministry strategised plan for 2017-2020 to create an enabling business environment for industry, trade and investment; implementation of NIRP, attracting long term foreign and local investment, FTAS, among others for achieving inclusive growth.
He further disclosed that the federal government’s approval for the establishment of the Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiations(NOTN) to lead and manage trade negotiations as well address trade policies challenges in the country.
Other component areas focused for the economic transformation drive include the creation of 1 million through skills acquisition and enterprising funding as well projected sufficiency in the national sugar requirement and upward movement of the World Bank EODB ranking in 2018.
However, Enelamah stressed the need for effective collaboration and synergy among the tiers of government and major stakeholders to leverage industry, trade and investment as platform for economic diversification and job creation.
” We therefore invite states to cooperate with FG in our concerted efforts to revamp the economy by the ERGP.”
Also, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal noted that the step taken by the federal government to revamp the economy through its ERGP was a depiction to repositioning the country’s economy on the right track.
According to him” the theme of the meeting is a great step to reversing our economic fortunes.”
The governor further emphasised the need to prioritise and focus on both macro and micro economic components, describing them as results yielding indices.
” These include agriculture, investment and trade which employ more people to become self reliant and pave ways for businesses and economy to grow”, he stated.
He however said that Sokoto state was endowed with vast resources and potentials that can be harnessed for diversification.
