By: EDEM DARLINGTON, Calabar
Governor Ben Ayade has continued to receive more accolades for his well thought out industrial drive to decouple the state from over dependence on federal allocation.
Describing Governor Ayade’s industrial progress as commendable, a Lagos based business and financial expert, Mani Robson said the governor’s achievement is such that is already putting the state in a positive direction.
Mr. Robson who is also the vice president, Temple and AegeanDas Limited, a Lagos based holding company with interest in real estate, petroleum and finance said he was pleasantly surprised at the rapid growth the state has experienced within a short period of time.
He called on Cross Riverians to support the government in order to encourage them do more.
He said he was glad to see rapid development in the state even as he also commended successive government in the state for sustaining the developmental tempo and expansion of the state.
“The government may not be perfect but it I think it deserves some commendations in order to encourage em do more. I am particularly marveled at the level of development in the state, especially along the Esuk-utan area where you have the tank farms and also at the industrial park area where you have the rice seed and seedling factory recently commissioned by the president”
Mr. Robson expressed his delight at the sustenance of progress by successive government in the state while praying that it be maintained.
“The state is witnessing developmental strides and my prayer is that the tempo be sustained so that we can attract more investments in different areas and retain our pride as the first capital of the nation”
The business expert enjoined investors to take advantage of the business friendly environment provided by the state government by coming in to invest in the state.
He said, his visit to the state has afforded him the opportunity to have first hand information which has helped his company identify areas of business interest especially within the manufacturing area.
He expressed his company’s desire to set up a tissue paper manufacturing company along the Ayade industrial area of the state, disclosing that already a land requisition request has been made to the government. He maintained that once the approval has is made, his technical experts will move into the site.
“the opportunity here is enormous and so we call on other investors to come in and see areas for partnership”
Mr. Robson also called on government at all levels to ensure the strengthening of government institutions in the country.
“All over the world, government cannot carry out developmental progress alone. So what government must do is to strengthen those institutions so that it will be easy for small businesses to make progress and grow the economy”
Mr. Mani Robson was in Calabar as part of his company’s cooperate social responsibility program where books worth millions of naira were donated to the prestigious Hope Waddell Training Institution in Calabar.
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari was in the state on Tuesday to commission what is reputed to be Africa’s first rice seed and seedling factory.
