Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on Nigeria to mobilise private sector investments to accelerate sustainable economic development.
He made the call in Bauchi on Wednesday during the inauguration of the International Conference Centre (ICC), constructed by Governor Bala Mohammed’s administration.
The centre, named after the first Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, is designed to serve as a hub for business and tourism activities.
Obasanjo emphasised that both local and international investments must be mobilised to drive national economic progress.
*“With what we have, we can show the world that we are part and parcel of the world. What others have and pride themselves about is not more than what we have.
“Some people don’t even have half of what we have. We have a world-class centre that can be developed and made one of the tourist attractions in Nigeria.
“The people that will be coming here will stay in hotels, interact, hold discussions and conferences in this ICC, and make Bauchi a centre of attraction and tourism for Nigeria.
“Not only are we commissioning this, we are also starting with a conference to discuss investment, and what do we need in Nigeria today? We need to mobilise investments, both local and international,”* he said.
Obasanjo also pledged to promote Bauchi to the global community to attract more investors to the state.
Governor Mohammed explained that the ICC was established to attract both domestic and foreign investors to Bauchi.
Reuben Okoya, the contractor who handled the project, said the facility was built to accommodate 3,000 people, with provisions for 10 different events to take place simultaneously.
StarReporters reports that the event was attended by Vice-President Kashim Shettima; Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno; the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III; and the deputy governors of Oyo and Plateau, Bayo Lawal and Josephine Piyo, among others.
(NAN)