Chinese
shoe producers have struck a business deal with the leadership of the
People's Democratic Party-led administration in Abia, South-eastern part
of Nigeria.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State
said that the entry of the Chinese into Aba shoe and garment production
process would engender healthy competition among producers.
Ikpeazu disclosed this while showing the Chairman of Huajian shoe factory, China, Mr Zhang Huarong, some locations for sitting of factory around Aba metropolis.
“The coming of Zhang Huarong and his team will boost the Aba
leather and garment industry. We welcome them with our hearts to come
and invest in Aba.
“We also encourage our people to see their coming as a healthy
competition. I have no doubt that our people in Aba will take advantage
of their coming and competition it will provide to improve on what we
are already doing.
“Our target is to conquer the African leather and garment
market. I am happy that the Chinese investors are responding to our
request for them to come and invest in our state and make their products
in Aba,” he said.
The governor also showed the team a Chinese-owned Steel factory, Inner Galaxy, already operating in Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia, to encourage the new investor.
He said the venue was chosen to show the Chinese team that some of
their counterparts were already in Abia and applauded the level of
infrastructure in Inner Galaxy and its employment of many Abia people.
The Chairman of the company, Zhang Huarong, said the team was in
the state to ascertain the level of preparedness of Abia to host the 1.5
billion dollars investment.
Huarong said the essence of the visit was to seal the deal which started during the Governor’s visit to his Shoe factory in China in the third week of April.
He expressed the readiness of his company to partner Abia to
deliver the project quickly. He described Abia as a beautiful and calm
environment where business could thrive, adding that China had enjoyed a robust relationship with Nigeria.
“China
has enjoyed a robust relationship with Nigeria and having a factory in
Abia would build on the relationship as well as help accelerate the
industrialisation drive of the Governor,” he said.