President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said the South-East will richly benefit from the new industrial investment plans which will soon be implemented in Nigeria’s textile sector.

President Buhari gave this assurance when he received traditional rulers from Abia State led by His Royal Majesty, Dr. Isaac Ikonne, Enyi 1 of Aba at the presidential villa.

According to a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser of Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Aba textile industry will be a major beneficiary and the investments will be actualised within the shortest possible time.

President Buhari said the industry investment plan through joint effort of the Federal Government and the Abia State government was sealed after his trip to China for the China-Africa forum.

“Just last week, I was in China to attend the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation. During that visit, I personally met with executives of one of the largest cotton and garment companies in the world who will soon establish operations in Aba.

‘‘This is following a joint effort of attracting this investor by both the Federal and Abia State Government. The proposed investment will create thousands of jobs for the vibrant and creative youths in Aba.

‘‘I am very excited about this project. I have directed the Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to ensure this investment is actualised within the shortest possible time,’’ the President said

The President also assured the monarchs that the issue of unstable electricity and other basic infrastructure in Ariaria market, a major trading hub in West and Central Africa, would soon be a thing of the past.

‘‘As a government, we issued a presidential mandate to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and the Rural Electrification Agency to energise the market.

‘‘In June 2018, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission granted an electricity generation licence as well as a distribution licence for the market. This will enable the generation and distribution of 9.5 Megawatts of electricity within the market.

‘‘The project is moving smoothly and I have been assured the market will be fully electrified soon. We are working closely with the State Government, Local Government, Traditional Rulers, Market Associations and the community on this project to ensure this goal is actualised by the end of the year,’’ he said.

President Buhari said his administration is committed to rapidly industrialise the country through projects that promote import substitution.

He also underscored the need for elder statesmen, leaders, parents and patriots to continue to guide youths on the path of peace and prosperity while eschewing hateful and divisionary rhetoric.

‘‘We must not shy away from this responsibility. We only have one Nigeria. And we must ensure we hand over a better Nigeria to the next generation,’’ he said.

In response, Eze Ikonne lauded the President for successes in his administration, particularly in the fight against corruption, agricultural revolution, infrastructure development and security.

•Sourced from a Channels TV report

•President Muhammadu Buhari with leaders of South-East delegation, His Majesty Eze Isaac Ikonne, Enyi 1 of Aba; Paul Ikonne, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, HRH Eze J.O Atulobi, HRH Eze A.N Ujoatu, Eze J.I Ahunanya, HRH Eze F.U. Emejuru, HRH Eze A.N.Ujoatu and others during the visit by the delegation of Enyi 1 of Abia to the presidential villa on Friday, September 14.