TheCable

The federal government and Abia state have entered a partnership to build the new Enyimba economic city project.

At the signing ceremony of the definitive agreement which held at the presidential villa on Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari said such initiatives were exactly what his administration was looking for to create employment for the people and boost the economy.

The president assured the people of the state of the federal government’s support and cooperation towards similar project anywhere in the country.

The project is expected to begin in 2019 as a private public partnership (PPP) of Crown Realties Plc, the host communities, Abia, and the federal government.

The project targets over 625,000 jobs, urban housing of over 300,000 units, urban population of more than 1.5 million people. It is also projected to provide more than 2,000 industrial/ business units, with estimated annual value output of more than $5 billion.

In his remarks, Okezie Ikpeazu, governor of the state, said Aba, a commercial city in Abia where the project is sited, is strategically located for easy access from all south-east and south-south states.

“Aba alone has over 250,000 artisans engaged in various arts and trades; the Enyimba City zone covers three local governments of the state. The project would not only be of immense benefit to Abia state but to the entire region and country,” the governor said.