By Anne Azuka
The activities of Delta State Investments Development Agency(DIDA) since inception have positively impacted on the economic growth of the State through direct and indirect investments.
The Chairman of DIDA, Mr. Paul Nmah disclosed this weekend in Asaba while declaring open a One-Day Engagement Meeting On Ease of Doing Business With The Organized Private Sector And Other Stakeholders.
Nmah noted that DIDA under Ifeanyi Okowa led administration, has been able to attract numerous investments into the State, adding that some of them have been completed and thriving well while others are nearing completion or undergoing the process of implementation.
DIDA boss listed some of the investments facilitated by his office under a PPP arrangement to include Delfrasco Ltd, Tower Manufacturing & Testing Industrial Fabrication Hot Dip Galvanizing Facility at Issele-Uku; Akewa Colmar Terminal Limited, Development of the Burutu Port at Burutu and Re-homes limited, Asaba Ultra-Modern Mechanic Village and Auto Parts, Asaba.
Others are Power Gas, Virtual gas producing Plant at Ebedei, near Umutu; James Law Limited, Development of the Phase 2 Ogbeogonogo Modern Market at Asaba; Adventium Global Inc, Development of the Delta Songhai at Amukpe; UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Project with Headquarters Building at Warri; Stallion Auto Keke Limited, Tricycle Assembly Plant near Asaba and Delking Multiple Concepts Ltd, Trailer Park at Ekpan, among others.
He therefore encouraged both local and foreign investors to avail themselves of the conducive business environment created for them to invest in the State.
Nmah expressed optimism that the meeting would avail all the Industry Stakeholders present, on how the Ease of Doing Business Reform could be well achieved.
He equally, urged them to critically evaluate the investment climate of the state and the possible way of organizing the Private Sectors to best key into the available investment opportunity in Delta State.
According to him, Delta State Investments Development Agency(DIDA), as an investment facilitation Agency has been at the forefront of driving the investment thrust of the state from over reliance on Oil and Gas to other sectors of the economy.
Earlier, the Director General of DIDA, Olorogun Lucky Oghene-Omoru expressed belief the dire need to interact with the organized private sector towards charting a course of action to protect businesses and find ways of sustaining existing investments within the state.
Oghene-Omoru said DIDA has the One Stop Shop Department, charged with the responsibility of evaluating the Ease of Doing Business in State, guiding and advising investors with respect to the investment policies and programmes of the State Government.
He therefore enjoined them to be free to bare their minds on issues that affect their businesses so that at the end of the programme the Blue Print produced would be submitted to Governor Okowa for consideration and approval.
Also speaking, NAFDAC representative expressed the need for State government to carry NAFDAC along, saying that state government need to collaborate with the federal agencies to give incentives to encourage exports, as done in China and other nations of the world.
He urged DIDA to always inspect incubator centres to make ease of doing business achievable in the state.
Whereas, Corporate Affairs Commission(CAC) representative noted that challenges abound in the industry as some businessmen lack knowledge of doing business.
Presentations were made by key stakeholders such as SMEDAN, NASSI, and DACCIMA during the meeting.
