In order to tap into the viability of the Azura Independent Power Project (IPP), a group of local and foreign investors have reportedly been trooping into Edo State, where the project is situated.
In a statement released, on Thursday, by the Special Assistant to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communications Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, the governor said that what attracted the influx of investors was due to the conducive environment for business provided by the state government.
He attributed the success of the Azura power project, which has begun operations seven months ahead of schedule to the enabling environment created by Edo State Government.
According to him, the state government achieved this by disentangling bottlenecks, institutional bureaucracy and administrative barriers that have served as impediment to public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the state.
In his words: “The Azura-Edo IPP has just come on stream and has been linked to the national grid, a feat that is happening seven months ahead of schedule. This, for us, is not just a commendable feat, but, also, a confirmation of what we have been saying all along that Edo State is ready for business.
“With the success of the Azura-Edo IPP, the state is seeing a growing influx of people trooping in to key into the boundless opportunities for investment, presented by the state. “There is no denying that the Edo State government has undertaken reforms to see it attract and keep investors.
“The Azura-Edo IPP is estimated to engage 1,000 persons. Some of that have been done, but we expect that with the influx of investors to the state, a lot more jobs will be created, which dovetails with the government’s job creation strategy, he added.
