Investment Summit: Gombe state Governor signs N70.5bn deal with six companies 

The companies are Odejad Compact Milling System Ltd, Jairus Agro Allied Solutions Ltd, Ahindar and Mahindar, Dom Agric Ltd, Amtech Agro Allied Ltd and Act Agribusiness Ltd.

The deal was signed on the last day of the three-day first-ever Gombe State Investment Summit, tagged “Industrialisation: the Pathway to Innovation, Transformation and Development of Gombe.”

Governor Yahaya called on potential investors to come into Gombe state because of the availability of mineral endowments, such as oil and gas, uranium, gypsum, coal and limestone, which investors can explore and exploit.

 “We shall do whatever it takes to make sure we deliver on this mandate and we shall do whatever it takes to make sure Nigeria moves forward. We shall deliver, by the Grace of God, and at the end of this event, we’ll like to confirm to each and every investor that Gombe, because of the security situation we have, compared to the rest of the states in the North East, and even the rest of the country, Gombe is very peaceful and is ready to manage its affairs beyond expectations.

“We shall continue to expand on that bond, and I believe going forward, we shall hit the marks and be the number one, not in terms of Ease-of-Doing Business, but in whatsoever facet of human endeavour that avails in this country,” said Governor Yahaya.

Also, the Governor took the Special Guest of Honour at the Summit, Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, on a tour of the Muhammadu Buhari Industrial Park, where the Gombe State Government is investing billions of naira to pave way for industries and other investments to flourish in the state.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Deputy Secretary General, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, who sent a message to the Gombe State Investment Summit, commended the move by the State Government to provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive and attract the much-needed investment capital.

According to Mrs. Mohammed, the private sector is an indispensable partner in development, because it contributes about 60% of GDP, generates 90% of jobs and accounts for 80% of capital flows in developing counties.

“We urgently need to scale up investment in critical sectors to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, faced with the impact of the global crisis, the business environment is even more important than ever.”

She, however, said much was needed to be done to address the 73% of poverty index in the state, through the redoubling of efforts in human development, so that poverty would be eradicated in all the 11 local government areas of the state.

“This Investment Summit is another opportunity to be a stepping stone towards that goal. The Government of Gombe State has set out opportunities for investment across various sectors. I hope the investors, the government and international partners will explore these opportunities,” said the UN Deputy Secretary General.

She urged investors in Gombe to move beyond commodity extractions to product processing and the development of value chain, including the contributions of young people and women in all projects and initiatives.

“They must have a role in designing the future of Gombe State when they realise their aspirations.

“I also urge you to make sure that your efforts are gender inclusive for all our women at all levels, from design to implementation and impact. It is simply not possible to build a prosperous sustainable stable state or nation or continent without the full contributions of half the population,” said Mrs. Mohammed.