By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has assured prospective investors that the state is ready to welcome foreign investment and private enterprises.
The Governor, represented by his Deputy, Comrade Joel Salifu, stated this during a meeting with Mr. Xzhangcong, the country representative of the Shanxi Construction Investment Group Company Limited, at his residence in Lokoja, the state capital.
In a statement issued by the Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Mr Unubi Emmanuel, the Governor emphasized that Kogi State is ready to collaborate with foreign investors willing to establish operations within the state, highlighting the availability of abundant land, a skilled manpower, and many solid minerals.
He maintained that such partnerships would not only benefit the companies involved but also contribute positively to the government and the people of the state.
Governor Ododo noted that he has always encouraged foreign investors to come to Kogi State and establish their businesses, rather than transporting the state’s resources to other states for production.
He added that the companies would make more profit due to the reduced transportation costs on solid minerals.
He stressed the state government’s commitment to providing a secure and conducive environment for investments to flourish, urging the group to expedite their plans for engagement.
Earlier, Mr. Xzhangcong, the country representative of the Shanxi Construction Investment Group Company Limited, said that their firm specializes in electricity generation using coal. He revealed that they opted to invest in Kogi due to the abundant deposits of coal within the state.
He noted that the company aims to deliver a reliable power supply to the state by leveraging the aboundant coal resources available, emphasizing that government consent and assurances of safety are paramount to their investment decision.
On their part, Mr. Iliasu Isah and Abdul OganeAji remarked that they facilitated the company’s interest in Kogi State, believing that their own state should be the first beneficiary of this investment before considering expansion to other states across the nation.
