Bayelsa Hosts First Investment Forum
Director General, Bayelsa State Investment Promotion Agency, BIPA, Ms. Freda Murray-Bruce says, Bayelsa State is to host its first Investment and Economic Forum (BSIEF) in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Ms. Murray-Bruce, who disclosed this, while briefing newsmen in her office in Yenagoa, explained that, the event will hold between the 16th and18th of July, 2014.
According to her, the forum, with the theme “Unlocking Bayelsa State's Economic Potentials: Opportunities and Challenges” will focus on wealth creation, sustainable business growth and success within the West African sub-region.
The DG stated that, to demonstrate its commitment and the importance attached to the forum, the state Government is to create an official website and email account for easy flow of information.
“We are very serious and committed to this programme and as a Government, we have decided to create an official website and email accounts for easy communication and dissemination of all relevant information about the forum”
Ms Murray-Bruce added that Bayelsa State Investment Economic Forum is intended to serve as a platform for Bayelsans, Nigerians and the world-at-large to convene, discuss and collaborate towards building the economy of the State as well contribute to the growth of the Nation's economy.
Describing the forum as most timely and relevant to the ideals and philosophy of the Restoration Government in Bayelsa State, she noted that, the state was ripe for business, stressing that, her agency was committed to ensuring that, the state overcomes those challenges that had impeded the growth of indigenous businesses as well as create a sustainable economic climate for indigenes and Nigerians to make the desired progress.
The DG used the opportunity to outline some of the investment potentials of the State to include; its rich landmark that offers vast economic opportunities in fish-farming, rice-production, cassava, sugar cane, cocoa, salt mines and others, that are vital for sustainable economic growth.
She said that, the state is currently intensifying its efforts at becoming a major player in the thriving oil and gas industry, adding that, government was equally taking relevant steps to tap its clay, salt, sand, gravel, lead, zinc deposits, that are also abound in the State.
The DG pointed out that, the emergence of the MINT nations (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey), as frontier markets, offers vast opportunities for investment and also prompted the economic forum, in order to address the perceived and real challenges of investing in Nigeria, while also presenting the immense potentials of Bayelsa State as a first-rate location for investment.
The forum, Ms Murray-Bruce emphasized, is also expected to proffer solutions to the perceived challenges and how they can benefit investors, the economy of the state and offer a unique platform for researchers, policy makers, development partners and global investors to discuss investments in Nigeria with key government agencies in the light of Nation's search for economic transformation.
The DG disclosed that BSIEF will be staged annually as a leading platform for discussions on investments in constituent local economies and with a focus on wealth creation as well as sustainable business growth in the West African sub-region.
Ms Murray-Bruce said the line up of activities for the forum include interactive sessions, through conferences and workshops as well as a gala and dinner reception.
She equally used the occasion to welcome relevant stakeholders like; entrepreneurs, banks and other financial institutions, ICT companies, petrochemical industries, mobile payments and technology based companies.
Others are Government agencies with responsibility for SME development, corporate organisations, food packaging companies, consumer products companies, NGOs and charities, Media organisations, businesses and individuals dedicated to moving Nigeria forward.