Cross River Validates Industrial Policy, Restates Commitment to Global Best Practices
By Uket Oka, Calabar
Cross River State Commissioner for Industry, Dr. Mathias Angioha has said that the state would continue to strive to entrench global best practices, especially in its industry sector.
Dr. Angioha stated this during the validation of the Industrial Policy of the Ministry held in Calabar, the state capital.
The Commissioner said the essence of the validation is to ensure that there are no gaps, give the user a clearer understanding of the policy and align completely with the ministry’s goals, which are primarily to meet global trend.
He noted that, “the Industrial policy document is meant to place Cross River as an industrial hub among comity of Nigerian states.”
Dr. Angioha who described the policy as “all-encompassing,” added that it considers the provision of the Nigerian industrial revolution plan, economic empowerment and development strategy, economic recovery and growth, all aimed at utilizing the abundant human and natural resources to investment thereby creating jobs and economic prosperity for the citizenry.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Ignitius Egere expressed gratitude to the consultant for the speedy delivery on the job.
Egere said with what he has seen, the policy addresses key issues that would improve the State.
Speaking in an interview after the validation, the Director General, Cross River State Signage and Advertisement Agency, (CRISSAA), Mr. Ubong Sam, said with the world changing almost every day, there is need for continuous update to meet the world’s standard.
Mr. Sam noted that with the state’s rapid development, it was expedient to have a strategic plan that would address issues that come with growth and development, adding that, from the policy documents presented, the state is in the business of all-round transformation.
The CRISSAA DG added that with the landscape of the State getting wider the document is necessary to harness available natural and human resources for the betterment of all.
The validation of the state industrial policy attracted stakeholders from across relevant value chains who brainstormed and validated the draft documents to produce a policy that would enhance sustainable industrial development.
Highpoint of the event was presentation and validation of the policy document by stakeholders drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, private sector industry among others.
