From: Segun Babatunde in Gombe
The Gombe State Investment and Property Development Company (GSIPDC) has sought partnership with the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) in its drive to reposition and achieve the lofty goal set out for the company by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
The chairman of the board of GSIPDC, Dr. Umar Kwairanga ( Sarkin Fulanin Gombe), who led his members on a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NIPC in Abuja recently, said ever since the establishment of the company in 1999 to manage the state investment buildup and drive development, the company had barely achieved its set goals and objectives.
He said that was why Governor Yahaya constituted a new board and management for the company to revamp it and rekindle the social and economic potentials of the outfit.
“My board was inaugurated in July 2021 and we have set for ourselves the task of positioning the company at the forefront of the development narrative in Gombe State. This involves resuscitating various legacy assets and projects as well as actualizing the new initiative of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration such as the Gombe Industrial Park and Special Development Zones plan for the three senatorial zones”, he said.
Dr. Kwairanga said the board realized that in order to meet these targets in record time, such collaboration and support from the NIPC become expedient.
“The Nigerian Investment Promotion Council was established in 2004 to encourage promote and coordinate investment in the Nigerian economy. From that perspective, the Gombe State Investment and Property Development Company is also an Agency registered and empowered to do same in Gombe State. We therefore seek to collaborate and learn from the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council as to how we can effectively carry out our investment promotion mandate”.
He said the board would seek to know the metric investors to consider before deciding where to invest and how it could quickly put measures in place in order to attract more investors in the state.
“We would also like the Council to help advertise our State and our company in its various platforms and ask this with good reason. Gombe State was this year ranked as number in ease of doing business, a testament to the State Governor’s determination to improve the State processes and friendliness to business”.
According to him, the board stands ready to support any genuine investor especially those interested in agriculture, agro processing, solid minerals and manufacturing.
Dr. Kwairanga informed his host that the state government conceptualised and recently launched a world class development masterplan called Development Agenda for Gombe State (DEVAGOM).
He said the governor is determined to see to its timely and effective implementation.
“I wish to specifically mention one of the components of the master plan which is the Gombe Industrial park that is currently being promoted and developed. The contract for the first phase of the project has already been approved by the State government,” he stated.
