Gov Alex Otti of Abia State says he is in governance to create wealth for the people of the state.
Otti made this affirmation yesterday after a crucial meeting with the Greenfield Assets Limited Group Chairman and owner of Aba Mega Mall, Dr. Paul Obanua, at his Nvosi country home.
He assured the management of Greenfield Assets Limited that his administration would review their request with the aim of reviving the long-abandoned Aba Mega Mall project and ensuring that its multimillion-dollar assets are put to industrial use for the benefit of the people of Abia State.
Otti, who stated that his government is committed to partnering with genuine investors to bring a positive turnaround to the state’s economy, directed that further engagements be conducted with the state government’s team. He reiterated that he is in governance to create wealth for the people.
In his speech, Dr. Paul Obanua tearfully disclosed that the project was “an investment I borrowed USD 10 million to make” and has been lying fallow for 10 years. He expressed his excitement over his deliberations with the governor and the potential partnership that is in the offing.
Otti, he said, “is receptive to development and possesses the requisite political will to develop Abia State,” adding, “We are very excited that Governor Dr. Alex Chioma Otti has granted us the audience we’ve not had in this state in the last 10 years. We are very excited and have our investors lined up to bring investments worth over 50 billion naira to the Aba Mega Mall space, which will be converted into a manufacturing ecosystem and export hub.”
According to him, “What is important in every leadership is the political will to do the right thing. If the leader is willing, the people will be willing and will follow. Everyone wants development, but if political leaders lack the will to do the right thing, no matter how beautiful the project is, it’s never going to work.
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“But what we found in His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, is that he has the political will to bring development to this state. If you want to get his attention, just mention development, and you will have it. Of course, you must be ready to answer questions because he will bombard you with them. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, then you have failed.”
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of their deliberations with the governor and further disclosed that they had presented their new plans for the mall, which include manufacturing services and standardization to improve the productivity of hardworking and talented Abia entrepreneurs, especially in garment and shoe production.
“We are here today to present our new initiative and plan for Aba Mega Mall, transforming it into an industrial manufacturing park and export hub that can serve the US, European, Asian, and African markets. In the new proposed Aba Manufacturing Park and Export Hub, we will provide industrial manufacturing as a service to entrepreneurs and artisans in the garment and shoe ecosystem.
“What that means is that we will have automated industrial garment cutting and sewing machines that will improve productivity for garment and shoe manufacturers by more than 100 times,” Obanua disclosed.
He stated that, in collaboration with the government, they would provide power, ensure standardization, and obtain certifications for these products to enable their export, thereby creating wealth for manufacturers and entrepreneurs in Aba and its environs. He identified the lack of automated industrial cutting and sewing machines as a major challenge for garment and shoe producers and offered to bridge that gap.
Dr. Paul Obanua, who sought the governor’s opinion and consideration in partnering with his organization to realize their new vision for the current Aba Mega Mall space, thanked Governor Alex Otti for his valuable insights on how to revive the abandoned Aba Mega Mall project.
Hopes for the revitalization and revival of the Aba Mega Mall Project have risen after it was commissioned in May 2015 and abandoned the same year by the previous administration in Abia State.
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