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written by Jonathan Eze 21-06-2018 The staccato ring of heavy metals will rent the air. Machines run non-stop, as workers in industrial wear line corridors leading to different lots in the industrial complex, which spans deep into the orange evening horizon. But this wasn’t always the case. So, we rewind to where and when it all started – the present. Nigeria, in the first quarter of 2018, is arguably the biggest economy in Africa, and with this comes the attendant anticipation for industrialisation and rise in socio-economic status of its people. Though development experts argue that the country’s new status is a fluke as very little productive activity is not enough to merit the tag of a big economy, efforts are being made by government at all levels to accelerate the march to industrialisation. While the Federal Government has pursed reforms and projects to reflate the economy, many state governments, in the wake of exit from hard-biting recession, devise means to diversify their earnings, pull off the apron strings of federal allocations, and increase their capacity to attract foreign direct investment. Among the governors that have pushed for these, the one with a clear-cut strategy to harness his state’s human and natural resources to engender industrial growth is the investment banker cum politician, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, the Edo State Governor. With an illustrious career built in boardrooms and solidified in shopping for Nigeria-bound investments across the globe, Obaseki comes off as the avant-garde industrialist, who goes into investment negotiations with clinical finesse, armed to the teeth with raw data and guarantees as well as a deep understanding of the sanctity of contracts. For instance, from his close study of the state, he understood that the state possessed several strategic assets that make it an investor’s delight. He deployed this skill in brokering for investment for the globally-acclaimed, record-setting 450MW capacity Edo Azura Independent Power Project (IPP), among others.Grand plan for Edo industrial corridor In what can be termed a declaration of intent at the 2017 Alaghodaro Investment Summit, Obaseki was unequivocal about his dream to industrialise the state. “We are pursuing an aggressive industrialisation drive. Our goal is to utilise our endowments, particularly the available energy and logistical advantage so that we can become a major industrial hub,” he said. Ever since, the government has been committed to its grand plan to reincarnate the state as an industrial city serviced by gas-powered power plants, housing refineries, seaports, industrial clusters, innovation hubs, smart neighbourhoods and a number of other investments. The plan for the Benin Industrial corridor is quite elaborate and easy to relate, in a manner of speaking. Little wonder investors are falling over themselves to get a cut from the pie. For instance, there is a lot of talk about the Benin Industrial Park and how it will attract big companies across the world to the state to do business. Obaseki assured that these trainings are geared towards ensuring that residents in the state do not fall short of skills required for these projects, and that they get the first opportunity to be employed before any other person. The Benin Industrial Park, hailed as a landmark project, is to be handled by three co-developers, who have indicated interest to partner with the state government in development. To be sited at Iyanomo, the park is expected to house a wide range of industries that are looking to source raw materials from the state and convert them into finished or semi-finished goods. Preliminary work on the project is ongoing and the people are excited to be part of the project. Expected to benefit from the gas assets at Ologbo, the park will be an integrated facility, housing a cluster of industries. Link road to the facility is already being constructed and work is picking up at the project site. According to the governor, “Three groups have registered to be co-developers and by October 2019 the first tenant will move in. When the park is ready, we will have over 1,000 companies in that park, generating an excess of $3 billion annually.” The Gelegele Seaport being built by China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Limited is already on course after initial hiccups. Preliminary soil testing has been completed and the CHEC are ready to commence to move to the next phase of the project. But the story of Gelegele is that of persistence. The Edo modular refinery project is also another landmark project promoted by the state government. A Chinese consortium has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government for the development of the facility. The consortium is made up of Peiyang Chemical Equipment Company of China (PCC); Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation (SIPS) which is a subsidiary of Sinopec, the top Chemical giant in the world and African Infrastructure Partners (AIP), a Nigerian Infrastructural company. He added that the modular refinery will solve the problem of inadequate petroleum products in the country and will turn Edo State into the preferred source of petroleum products considering the gateway status of Edo State to other parts of the country. He expressed deep appreciation to the management of PCC and SIPS reiterating that with their support, Edo State is well on its way to becoming a hub of skilled manpower for the oil and gas industry and give boost to Nigeria’s local content policy. Industrial city: Where is the manpower? The governor said the project would be an example of sustainable development pathway, stressing that students at the College get the best of technical education, work with latest tools and equipment, and provide the essential technical expertise needed in the state and the country at large. The lead consultant for the rehabilitation, Mr. Giles Omezi, said the project is in its first phase, which would stretch for 18 months, during which new classrooms and dormitory blocks would be built. He said about nine existing buildings would be refurbished while a number of workshops and laboratories would be constructed. Investors in Edo State stand to benefit from the state’s unparalleled support for businesses. The state plays host to the two biggest oil palm companies in Nigeria, both of which are currently expanding their plantain size rapidly due to the state government’s unflinching support for their business. The guaranteed investment-friendly climate provided for investors by the state is also attributable to successes recorded by the 450MW Edo Azura IPP. He said, “the Benin Industrial Park (BIP) was conceived as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project. The bulk of the funds to go into the development of the park will come from the private sector. Edo state government will provide the land and key access roads linking the park and necessary guarantees to whet the appetite of local and foreign investors.” Comment Box is loading comments...
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