• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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US Embassy visits Ogun, pledges more investments in health, manufacturing    

Abiodun new picure

Having considered improving business atmosphere and ease of doing business which have become hallmarks of Ogun State among the comity of states in the country, the United States of America has pledged to attract more investments to the state.

This statement was made on Thursday in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, when a delegation of the US nationals led by Commercial Attaché at the American Embassy, Christine Kelly, paid a courtesy visit to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.

Speaking on their mission to Ogun State, the Commercial Attaché declared that the Commercial Service with offices in the countries where America has trade relations around the world was in the state as part of Southwest business outreach designed to assess the level of performance of US-owned investments and possible facilitation of more investments.

Kelly, who acknowledged the investment potentials in the state as the state already hosts a couple of US-owned firms such as Procter and Gamble, said the Commercial Service as the trade arm of the United States, is out to connect American firms with business opportunities in foreign lands, and that Ogun State is a state in Nigeria that offers such opportunities.

While expressing US Embassy’s desire to enter into business deals and attract more investments to the state, Kelly said American firms are ready to compete for opportunities in healthcare and other sectors, such as manufacturing and technology as the Commercial Service section is looking to partnering with the state on any on-going project.

Responding, Govenor Abiodun asked existing and prospective investors, including American investors, to key into his administration’s Public Private Partnership initiative and invest in the state, adding that the state is blessed with large expanse of land suitable for agriculture and also has the highest number of tertiary institutions for quality human resources.

Abiodun noted that the state is strategically located and is working towards providing adequate security, good healthcare services and conducive teaching and learning environment to accommodate influx of people from neighbouring states who might want to live or invest in the state.

“We welcome open channels of opportunities that would allow us take advantage of your Commercial Service. We are working towards taking advantage of the overflow of Lagos by providing security. So far, we have procured 100 patrol vehicles with communication equipment and 200 motorbikes for our security agencies band we are planning to do more.

“Our health facilities are in bad condition, but we have started putting them back into shape. We are currently rehabilitation 236 Primary Health Centres, just as we are also re-equipping our General Hospitals,” he noted.

The governor, who noted that the State Government is liaising with some group in America for the supply of medical equipment to the State’s Hospitals, added that his administration is willing to partner American firms who are ready to work with the state in any sector of the economy.