Emmanuel Ifeanyi 
Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti yesterday performed the ground-breaking ceremony of the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park (AIIP) in Owaza town, Ukwa West Local Government Area of the state. As gathered, the Industrial/ Residential and Free Trade Zone (FTZ) which will sit on over 1,000 hectares of land, would host multiple layers of businesses including modular refineries, petrochemical and fertiliser plants and several other chains of enterprises.
Otti said that AIIP is conceived to serve as a launch pad for Abia’s economic rejuvenation, leveraging the many advantages of this location, including but not limited to the oil and gas deposits, nearness to Aba and Port Harcourt cities, abundance of skilled labour and a secure environment for smooth and uninterrupted production and other industrial activities.
He appreciated the communities and villages who see great value in the proposition and graciously offered their land to give the vision a foothold and thanked the traditional and community leaders, the youth leaders and all who were involved in various stages of the negotiations for their peaceful disposition and sincerity.
“My honest assurance to everyone is that the Abia State government shall keep to its part of the bargain and you shall get what you truly deserve. We shall also work with experts and industry regulators to set up clear guidelines that will drastically minimise the damage to your natural environment. “Above all, we will see to it that every corporate entity that shall have a presence here takes its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) very seriously,” he said.
Otti equally appreciated the various businesses and gov- ernment agencies that have indicated interest in being involved in the Abia Indus- trial and Innovation Park, stressing that he is excited to see the heads and representatives of several multinational corporations and government agencies present at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Otti further said, “Our vision is clear and our goal direct: we want to responsibly harness the abundant oil and gas reserves within Ukwa for the economic development of the communities within, the state and the regions connected to this project location. “At every stage of this project, even before this ground- breaking ceremony, jobs will be created, local businesses will be empowered and multiple channels of economic expansion established for entrepreneurs within and outside this immediate community.
“The AIIP promises to be a win-win for every stakeholder, especially the host communities that have graciously welcomed us, the investors who can be certain of a conducive business environment, steady power supply, nearness to raw materials, a large population of skilled and unskilled labour, the government through improved revenue and even the research and academic community who can use this project to drive their search for knowledge on relevant thematic areas.
