Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has secured a $1.5B
project for the establishment of a Shoe Industry in Aba, Abia State.
The governor sealed the deal with Huajian Shoe Industry
in Dongguan, Guangzhou, China, in the course of his official visit to
China for the 1st Nigeria-China Governors Investment Forum.
According to a press release by his Chief Press Secretary,
Enyinnaya Appolos, Ikpeazu secured the agreement after a meeting with Group
Chairman of the Huajian Group, Mr. Zhang Huarong.
Appolos added that the Abia-Huajian Shoe Industrial City,
will have the capacity to produce 5,000 shoes per day and employ about 10,000
people directly and indirectly.
He added “Abia State Government will provide the land and
other investment incentives for the project while the Huajian Group will fund
the entire project.”
Mr. Huarong, who noted that Governor Ikpeazu was the 1st
Nigerian Leader to visit him, disclosed that the Huajian Group was already
employing 6,000 staff and is currently developing a 250 Acre Industrial City in
Ethiopia and expressed his eagerness to come to Nigeria.
Huajian Group currently employs about 20,000 staff in China
and operates a 10,000 shoes per day Factory in Dongguan valued at $2B.
Mr. Huarong assured that he will visit the Governor in Abia
before the end of April 2017 for further discussion on the project.
By Chibuzo Ukaibe
