Kogi Becoming Nigeria’s Investment Destination, Says Gov Bello

Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja

Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello Thursday said the state was fast becoming investment destination in Nigeria.

Speaking with journalists at the Kogi Liaison Office in Abuja after holding meetings with prospective investors on Thursday, the governor said the discussions were “quite fruitful” and that the “final curves were being negotiated to arrive at the destination”.

“I have been having meetings with a lot of high class investors who are desirous of tapping into the limitless opportunities in our Confluence State. The investors are looking at the agriculture and tourism sectors of the economy and will continue to engage my team to achieve the aim of making the state an investment hub.

“I am quite satisfied with our progress and the increased confidence the investing community has in our dear state. We will continue to strive to reposition the state industrially.

“The investment of our administration in security is beginning to pay off. Security determines development. I am happy that we have been able to put insecurity behind us.

“I remember an unwholesome experience in the early part of our administration when our team was in China to discuss bilateral business interests. Right in the meeting, news broke out that some expatriates were kidnapped in the state. The meeting was called off.

“More than anything else, that unfortunate experience reinforced my resolve to enable a safe Kogi State. We came up with a completely vibrant security architecture and injected more funds and facilities to ensure Kogi was safe. Today, we are happy to be the safest state in Nigeria”.

Governor Bello also said the reinvigorated Bureau of Lands in the state had keyed into the “investment drive of the administration”.

“In investment, land is a critical factor. We have repositioned our Bureau of Lands to be able to handle multilateral transactions while also protecting the interest of our people.

“The Geographic Information System has also helped our land administration in the state. We are building an economy that can provoke prosperity without over reliance on civil service jobs. We are opening new frontiers for blue-collar jobs.

“With the drive of President Muhammadu Buhari to transform rail transport in Nigeria, Kogi will continue to benefit tremendously from this transformation”.