Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam has unveiled the investment opportunities in the state with an assurance that his administration would not relent in its efforts to create enabling environment for both local and foreign investors seeking for investment space in the State.
Speaking at the presentation of Nigeria business and development opportunities at the Woodrow Wilson International Center-Africare-Constituency for Africa in Washington DC yesterday, the Governor said that his government would continue with its mission to uplift Benue to greater heights through the introduction of fiscal discipline, improved service delivery, building partnerships for development and sustainability in the use of exhaustible resources.
Unveiling what he termed “some unique comparative advantages of Benue State”, Suswam who was among other speakers at the event said: “ Benue State has provision for Fertile soil suitable for production of cash crops/fruits, large deposits of solid minerals in all Local Government Councils, abundant human resources (skilled & unskilled) supported by a large number of educational institutions, and vibrant mass media comprising of five broadcasting stations (Radio/TV) and 29 Newspapers and Magazines”
Speaking on investment opportunities in agriculture, he said that there was 364,000 hectares of land available for irrigation farming.
He said: “21,668.5 km2 of upland Soil available for rainy season farming. Location (Guinea Savannah) supports a wide variety of crops, including tree crops like oranges, mangoes, tomatoes, pineapples, pawpaw. Rivers Benue & Katsina-Ala provide huge opportunities for fadama operations with high organic nutrient content regularly replenished by seasonal overflow of the rivers”
Suswam who said that Benue state has an enabling environment for investment also stressed that there was also a stable political environment (executive – legislative harmony), high level commitment to security of lives and property, anti-corruption and transparent business environment in the state.