Foreign and local investors began to arrive Enugu, the capital of Enugu state yesterday in their numbers and an elated Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi hosted them at the Government House, both parties agreeing to make the summit starting today a mutually beneficial outing.
Among those who arrived first yesterday were the Consul General of the Embassy of France in Nigeria, Laurent Polonceaux, a Nigeria director of a French Group known as Proparco, Olivier Follin, the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Sean Hoy as well as director of an Irish organization- Sustainable Food Systems Ireland.
They also included members of a conglomerate made up of Chinese, Singaporeans and Nigerians known as Fit Consult/Yuanda Group, including Mr. Wang Yijun of Yuanda Group, Chief Loretta Aniagolu, Mr. Wang Xingjun, Mr. Jiang Xin, Mr. Ronnie Tan all of the Yuandamong others.
Speaking during a brief ceremony at the Government House, Enugu when he received the visitors who arrived for the summit, Governor Ugwuanyi stated that “this summit is the first of its kind in our state and it would showcase its importance to the world.
“Through this summit, we are also prepared to add value to what we have in our dear state. Enugu state is richly endowed with a lot of variables that when exploited appropriately would spin economic bounties.
“We want to assure all the investors coming to take part in this important summit that we are more than prepared to host the event and add value to the area of housing and other important sectors which would be of help to the economic development of Enugu state”, he told the visitors.
The Consul general of the French Embassy who made a brief remark noted that the government’s initiative in convoking an economic summit is a very interesting and ingenious decision, and commended the governor for the move.
The Irish men who were part of the investors that arrived harped on the agricultural potentials of their country with Mr. Hoy explaining that Ireland, a small country currently produces more than 10 times much food consumed by the about four million population of the European country.
On their own part, the Chinese investors have indicated interest in partnering the state in the area of housing and Governor Ugwuanyi confirmed that they have crested their signature in that sector, urging the Irish to do likewise in the agricultural sector.
The investors in their separate remarks assured that they would add value to the business climate of the state so as to improve the economy of Enugu state.
