Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River says the natural endowments and ongoing development plans have transformed the state into a prime destination for global investors.
Governor Otu made the remark on Wednesday in Calabar while receiving a delegation of cement giant, Holcim that took over the ownership of Larfarge Africa PLC.
The governor welcomed the company’s expanded global capacity and renewed his administration’s commitment to the state.
He also assured the new management of the state government’s unwavering support in providing an enabling environment for investment growth in Cross River.
According to him, the long-standing relationship between the state and Lafarge had strengthened confidence and must be built upon.
He commended the company for its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) interventions, noting that such efforts had benefitted host communities and improved livelihoods.
His words: “We have come a long way together and what excites me most is that beyond cement, you are now bringing additional investments in areas such as waste management and infrastructure.
“This marriage will be a strong one, and I assure you that Cross River is safe, stable, and open for business.
“I pledged my government’s readiness to synergise with Holcim in infrastructure development in the areas of jetties, terminals, and other projects,” Otu said.
He expressed hope that the partnership would open new frontiers of growth, job creation, and prosperity in line with his administration’s “People First” agenda.
Speaking also, Vice President of Holcim Cement, Mr. Xu Gang, reaffirmed the company’s resolve to deepen its investments in Nigeria, particularly in Cross River.
Gang said, “We did not come just to acquire Lafarge, our vision is to expand, invest more in people, and grow capacity and we are committed to supporting local communities and making Cross River a model for sustainable investment,” he stated.
Similarly, Mr Lolu Akinyemi, Chief Executive Officer of Larfarge, lauded the governor for priotising peace and investor confidence.
He also described the importance of the company’s Mfamosin plant which, according to him, is the largest cement plant in Nigeria,
Akinyemi noted that Larfarge Africa had been part and parcel of Cross River.
He added that with Holcim as their new majority shareholder, they were confident that the future would ensure greater opportunities in sustainable development of their host communities.
