The Community leaders of Owaza in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State have described the Abia Innovation and Industrial Park being sited in their area as an economic miracle by the Gov. Alex Otti led Abia State Government.
The community leaders stated this when they paid an appreciation visit to Gov. Alex Otti, OFR, for choosing Owaza Community in Ukwa West Local Government Area to host such a high impact economic project.
Speaking on behalf of the Community leaders, Dr. Uche Nwele said “Your Excellency, we are quite enthused, grateful and full of joy to be in your office to rub minds with the host communities and as well as to thank you for the economic miracle you are about to bring to our place through your instrumentality. We are indeed grateful.”
Speaking further, Dr. Nwele thanked Governor Otti for appointing their son Mr. Philemon Ogbonna as Commissioner for Environment.
Responding, Gov. Otti thanked the delegation from Owaza community for their visit and enumerated some of the huge benefits of the Abia Innovation and Industrial Park to the host communities and the entire State. Gov. Otti said, “In a nutshell, what we want to do is to unleash the potentials of Ukwa West and Owaza in particular. Owaza is blessed to host reserve of oil and gas, probably one of the few communities to be blessed in that manner.”
He explained that technology has been so developed in such a way that through horizontal drilling, somebody can stay in a place that is meters away and pick up the gas and oil in your place without your knowledge.
“So, what we are trying to do is to bring all the productive activities to be sited in your area so that you can reap the benefits in terms of employment generation, Infrastructure, Gross Domestic Product.” said Gov. Otti.
Speaking further, the Governor said, “We have got a lot of interests, including the International Oil Companies, National Content Development Board, Some Investors out of the UK, Europe and America. ”
The Governor informed that some Industrialists within the country are already planning to relocate their industries to Owaza once the Industrial Park is developed and to invest in other areas like rail network that will connect all the Local Governments in the State.
According to Gov. Otti, the area is also being processed as an export processing zone for easy shipping of the products from the productive activities there.
Hon. Kalu Mba Nwoke – Chairman House Committee on Environment, Prof. Joel Ogbonna – Commissioner for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mr. Philemon Ogbonna – Commissioner for Environment, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu – Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prof. Monica Ironkwe Commissioner for Agriculture were among top Government officials that joined the Governor in the meeting.
HRM Eze (Amb.) Obioma L. Nworgu – Ezeoha 1 of Etitioha Owaza, Oil and Gas Grand Kingdom and Dr. Uche Nwele, led the delegation from Owaza.
