The Director General Investment Promotion Bureau, Barr. Rosemary Tutu-Ekeng has charged all Cross Riverians to utilize the time during the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown to build capacity. She posited that although these are challenging times, there is potential for the state to experience investment surge after the pandemic. As such, Cross Riverians need to develop their capacity to key into the Ayade’s Industrialisation agenda for Cross River State.
She added that in the face of a global pandemic, people need to be prepared for the post COVID-19 realities as many businesses may shut down operations while others may lay off their staff. Barr Ekeng remains optimistic, assuring that the ingenuity of Governor Ben Ayade in revolutionising the economic dynamics will position the state to attract influx of investors, thereby opening more windows of opportunities for all Cross Riverians.
She stated this while speaking with the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ben Ayade on Communication and Advocacy, Ms Beatrice Akpala on the programme ”INSIDE CROSS RIVER”.
Meanwhile, in her analysis of the activities of Investment Promotion Bureau, she said their mandate is threefold: To Promote, facilitate and give after care to all investment initiatives that comes into the Cross River State Landscape, stating that governor Ayade’s Industrialisation vision for the state has made their work in investment promotion easier and more vibrant. She further said that work is being done to ensure that foreign direct investment and domestic direct investment thrive in the State.
On the value she intends to bring to the table, Barr Ekeng, said inline with the core functions of the Bureau, she is set to work with other members of the organization to promote and market the State, by reeling out the multiple investment opportunities available in the state to prospective investors and ensuring that they are given extensive support and a Sustainable environment to Invest in Cross River State.
She therefore once again called on all cross riverians to get a skill, gain new knowledge and build additional value, either by reading widely, investing in formal education, upskilling and leveraging social media, being fully aware that people would definitely pay for value that you bring to the table, hence the need to acquire more knowledge to position themselves as key partakers of the employment opportunities the investments will bring.
On the issue of corporate social responsibility, she reiterated that the community must have a specific need and that they have to also be able to communicate that need to the investors. She noted that Investment Promotion acts like the mediator between the companies and the host communities.
On the Ayade’s industrialisation drive, she affirmed that building one industry in each Local Government across the state, is a major leap towards massive investment opportunities in addition to the already existing investment in the State.
The Rice Seedling Factory which has been adjudged the first and best across the entire Africa Continent is creating explosive lmpact, as it continues to command the attention of global investors.
Also, Calachika – the Chicken Slaughter house, the Toothpick Factory, the Cocoa Factory, The Noodles Factory – Calavita, the Garment Factory, the Pharmaceutical Company- Calapharm, the chicken processing factory, the Teachers Continuous Training Institute, and a whole loads of others, are the various investment opportunities that are set to take the whole by storm, hence the need for indigenes of Cross River State to build adequate capacity to be active beneficiaries of the gains.
On the sustainability strategy of Cross River State Investment Promotion Bureau, Barr Ekeng, assured that her office is keeping proper records and has continued to train and retrain staff, as they are the real assets of the organization. According to her the staff are like the proverbial “barracks” that remains unchanged. She re-emphasized that every investment is to create employment for the people.
She thanked Governor Ben Ayade for giving her the opportunity to contribute her quota in building the Cross River State of our dream. She said her unalloyed support remains with the gender friendly Governor Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade for recognizing her efforts both in politics and leadership and rewarding her with the appointment, promising to put in her best to ensure that the Cross River State agenda is Implemented to the letter.
BEATRICE AKPALA –
SSA COMMUNICATION AND ADVOCACY