Ministry Woos Turkish Firms To A’Ibom

An industrial development consultant to the Ministry of
Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Edema Udoh, said more than 1,000 industries were
expected to be established by Turkish businessmen in the region before the end
of 2013

Udoh told our correspondent in Uyo that the business
concerns would be located in Akwa Ibom.

She said that the ministry would partner with the Turks in
the venture, adding that the ministry had also signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with the country for the establishment of industrial clusters in
Niger Delta.

Udoh said that the conglomerate of industries envisaged
under the Niger Delta Action Plan would be modelled after the Organised
Industrial Region known as “OSTIM Project” in Turkey.

The consultant said that Akwa Ibom had been chosen as a
pilot state under the OSTIM/MNDA agreement, adding that the project would be
replicated in other states of the region.

“We have chosen a site already in Mbo Local Government Area
of Akwa Ibom. It is a huge programme to be executed under Public-Private
Partnership (PPP).

“This is a development model that will promote industrial
clusters with shared manpower, shared resources and facilities,” Udoh said.

She explained that the project would also create new towns
and boost economic activities in the Niger Delta and expressed the hope that
the nine state governments would cooperate with the Niger Delta Ministry to
realise the plan.

“The OSTIM project as implemented in Turkey, and if adopted
in Niger Delta region, will drastically reduce unemployment and also adequately
address development challenges in the area”, she added.