The United States Latino American Chamber of Commerce (USLACC) Africa has advocated ways to make Nigeria and Africa one of the industrialized hubs of the world through investment promotion.
The group, led by its President, Dr. Manolo Cevallos, stated this in Abuja on Tuesday, July 26, at a one-day African and Foreign Investors Trade Summit (AFRIFITS) for business people and entrepreneurs.
The theme of the summit was: “Promotion of African Businesses, Synergy and Match Making Foreign Investors.”
Represented by USLAAC Africa Representative, Amb. Ifeoma Ejiogu, Cevallos said AFRIFITS was a creation of USLACC to catalyse Africa’s economic growth.
Cevallos said that the central goal was to make Africa one of the world’s hubs of industrialisation.
The USLACC President declared that this would be achieved by bringing together foreign investors, Africans in Diaspora, African Business luminaries and friends of Africa to invest in the ‘immeasurable rich resources and opportunities’ that abound in the continent.
“AFRIFITS aims at reforming all sectors of the African economy and accelerating continental and international trade and investment.
“This would be achieved by building durable bridges between foreign business persons and potential business owners in Africa.
“This will solve the decades and centuries long myths that inhibit foreign investment in Africa,” he said.
He said USLACC, a public investment institute with headquarters in Los Angeles, California U.S., has been promoting bilateral foreign direct investments, infrastructural development and international trade between U.S. and other parts of the world.
The Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, promised that Nigeria would continue to play its role as an investment destination in Africa.
Onyeama, who was represented by Amb. Bolaji Akimremi, Director, Trade and Economy in the ministry, commended USLACC for its efforts at giving industrialization a new face in Africa.
On behalf of the foreign ministry, Mr. Onyeama pledged to continue to ensure that Africa and other countries of the world collaborated in area of investment.
University of Abuja Vice-Chancellor Abdul Na’Allah, in his remarks, promised that the university, as one of the modern universities, was ready to work with foreign investors to turn the university into a tourist centre in Nigeria.
Prof. Na’Allah urged the organization to carry the university along in its scheme of things.
The Vice-Chancellor expressed dissatisfaction at the on going strike in the nation’s universities saying it was sad and unpatriotic for Nigerians to allow the universities to be closed.
Former Inspector General of Police and the Chief Award Presenter, IGP Mike Okiro (Rtd), noted that security situation in any country could discourage investment.
“People invest where there is security of lives; people fear to invest because of insecurity.
“Insecurity has become a global phenomenon, so the issue is how to manage it,” he added.
The former IGP called on Nigerians to work together with government and security agencies to fight insecurity in the nation.
In his keynote address, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former Governor of old Anambra, expressed concern at the level of corruption in the country and called for a change of attitude.
Chief Ezeife declared that Nigeria was destined for greatness and called for a collective effort to make it great as other nations of the world.
Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI) Governing Board Chairman, Mr. Uche Egenti, who was the Chairman of the Occasion, said the programme was targeted at investment and industrialisation of Africa.
Mr. Egenti called on business men and women and entrepreneurs in Nigeria to rise up and contribute toward the socio-economic status of Nigeria and by extension Africa.
“It is time for Africa to be industrialised. Government alone cannot do everything.
“It is time to reason together and develop concepts that would catapult Africa to the world,” he said.
Fratello Properties Ltd. Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bethran Uzodimma, who was one of award recipients at the programme, expressed gratitude to God for the award.
The Fratello boss, on behalf of other recipients, encouraged investors not to lose faith in Nigeria and other African countries with a lot of resources to harvest from and areas to invest in.
“There are great potential in Africa; there is the confidence that Africa would develop as other continents because she has what it takes to be great,” he said.
While presenting the award to Mr. Uzodimma, USLACC said he was given the award in recognition of his philanthropic gestures.
Some of the gestures include building houses for the downtrodden and financing the education of children in his community and beyond.
ICT Lead, USLACC Africa, Mr. Daniel Ibrahim, stated in his review of AFRIFITS that Africa was on the road to a better tomorrow.
Mr. Ibrahim said the programme was to deliberate on how to improve on the economy of Africa.
According to him, the organization is also in Kenya, Uganda, Togo and Ghana to forge relationships with small and medium enterprises and connect them to the rest of the world.
Mr. Ibrahim declared that the objectives were for wealth and value creation and business development opportunities enhancement.
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