The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) says it has facilitated six investment opportunities and presented them to foreign investors in line with the diversification drive of the Federal Government.
NEPAD’s National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer, Princess Gloria Akobundu said this while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja.
Akobundu, who was marking her one year in office, listed some of the areas of investment as agriculture, infrastructure and mining resources development.
“We have about six investment opportunities which we gave to investors and they have agreed to invest in those areas.
“We have identified these investors and taken them to the relevant ministries to collaborate with them in line with their own mandate for development.
“So, our mandate is to facilitate, create awareness and sensitise investors on the abundance resources in the country,’’ she said.
On local investors, the coordinator said that the office had collaborated with the Ministry of Niger Delta to identify investors willing to invest in the region.
She said that the office was able to put the local investors and foreign investors together to achieve maximum results in investing in the region.
“Also, we have identified some investors, who are ready to revive moribund industries in Ondo State, and we are working to achieve that in collaboration with Ondo State Government.
“Besides, we monitor to see those investments see the light of the day and that our people benefit from the jobs that will be created and economic growth.
“Our interest is how we can create job and how to put food on the table of a common man, don’t forget that alleviation of poverty is one of the mandates of NEPAD.
“Simply, we promote livelihood; NEPAD is about the economy, which is development of the people and governance,’’ the coordinator said.
Akobundu, however, spoke on her 4 Rs Agenda of Repositioning, Rebranding, Re-launching and Re-aligning NEPAD to achieve President Buhari’s agenda.
She said that the 4Rs were in line with Buhari’s agenda in the areas of the economy, security and job creation.
According to her, NEPAD Nigeria is still bedevilled by plethora challenges, apart from the known paucity of funds.
“For instance, there are so many things and programmes of Government in which we are supposed to be involved in as an organisation but it is not so.
“We hope that with the experience we have garnered in the last one year on this seat, we will still send memorandum to government to readdress some of the areas of the NEPAD structure.’’Our source reports that NEPAD is a socio-economic flagship programme of the Africa Union (AU).
NEPAD’s four primary objectives are to eradicate poverty, to promote sustainable growth and development, to integrate Africa in the world economy and to accelerate the empowerment of women.
It facilities and coordinates the development of continent- wide programmes and projects, mobilises resources and engages the global community, Regional Communities, like ECOWAS and other member states in the implementation of the above projects and programmes.