Entrepreneur seeks business friendly policies in A/Ibom

An entrepreneur in Akwa Ibom State has solicited business friendly policies from the state government that would boost trade and investment as well as help in growing commercial activities as part of strategies to enhance the industrial development of the state.

He said such policies would eliminate bottlenecks currently being experienced by prospective investors, particularly in land acquisition and in providing electricity in industrial estates.

Marcel Ofomata, managing director/CEO, Amaecom Global Limited, an asset financing firm who made this remarks in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital while kick-starting activities marking the company’s end of year activities, said apart from policies that would promote businesses, entrepreneurs were also facing the dearth of skilled manpower in key sectors.

Ofomata, who announced a series of activities including a road work and a training programme that would end with a cocktail with several notable artistes set to thrill the people, said the company recorded major milestones in 2015, which he said included the completion of a regional office in Calabar, Cross River State.

The company intends to expand its frontiers to neighbouring countries and other regions in the country in 2016, he said, and lamented the harsh economic environment due to the dwindling revenue from oil, saying it had affected economic activities.

According to him, the company’s foam factory located in Uyo, has enjoyed a lot of patronage from customers, particularly from neighbouring states, maintaining however much patronage was needed from Akwa Ibom State.

“So, we are saying Akwa Ibom government should look at us as partners and make policies that will enhance business development, so that we will continue to contribute to the economic growth of the state,’’ he said.

He announced that strategies had been mapped out to improve on customers’ service delivery to sustain the patronage received, especially from outside the state.