Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Members of the Enugu business elite were, at the weekend, stunned when the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Mariam Katagum, announced that the federal government would adopt Private Public Participation (PPP) arrangement to complete the construction of Enugu International Trade Fair complex, began 31 years ago.
Guests and participants at the opening ceremony of the 31st Enugu International Trade Fair frowned at the information with some who followed the Minister to the press conference shortly after, questioning why federal government would fully complete Lagos and Kaduna complexes and opt for the PPP arrangement in the case of Enugu complex.
Before the Minister’s speech, the President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Sir Emeka Nwandu, had in his address lamented that the chamber had for 31 years appealed to the Federal Government to award direct contracts to complete the development of the complex as it did in Lagos and Kaduna.
However in her address, the Minister said: “In other to fast track the early completion of the Enugu International Trade Fair Complex, and its effective maintenance and management, government has put in place plans to adopt the PPP arrangement for the construction, operation and maintenance of the complex.
“This will imply that the private sector will be involved in the construction, ownership and maintenance of the structures while government will concentrate on the provision and maintenance of common facilities. I therefore call on ECCIMA and other stakeholders to key into this initiative for the speedy completion of the complex.”
Noting that the choice of the theme for the 31st fair, “Advancing the Growth of SMEs through Corporate Governance for Rapid Development,” was pertinent and timely, the minister said the economic policies of the present administration were geared towards creating a conducive business climate to ensure that made in Nigeria products compete favourably with other products in the global market.