Anambra government moves to establish massive export factory in Achebe's hometown

- Anambra state government has approved the proposal of the construction of an export facility in the hometown of Nigerian novelist late Chinua Achebe

- The project is estimated to to cost $150 million (N47.2 billion)

- It will also be Nigeria's first Global Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certified and food processing center

The Anambra state government has approved the proposal of the construction of an export facility in Ogidi, the hometown of Nigerian novelist, late Chinua Achebe.

The facility - Ndi Anambra Export Facility Project - is estimated to cost $150 million (N47.2 billion), the state's executive council led by Governor Willie Obiano said.

NAIJ.com gathered that the project will be Nigeria's first Global Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certified and food processing center.

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The export facility which will be completed within the next 12 months will complement global standards with the provision for a Boeing 777 cargo plane for weekly exportation of agricultural products.

The managing director of Abx World Nigeria Limited John Okakpu who spoke to journalists on the project said the partnership between the state and his organization will lead to positive generation of revenue, job creation and poverty alleviation in Anambra.

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Okakpu said the new project will add N2.75 billion to Anambra's internally generated revenue yearly and over $5 billion of foreign investment to the state’s economy within the next three to four years.

He also said the project once completed will operate 25/7 and will provide employment for 1,200 individuals in the state.

Okakpu said: "His Excellency, Governor Willie Obiano has really step up his unstoppable love and caring to ‘Ndi Anambra’ and had shown what leadership ought to be. According to Senator Ben Bruce, please, go to Anambra and borrow a chapter in their book. Anambra is more like a Nation-State, thanks to Willie Obiano’s vision and result oriented policies."

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“This Center will bring the world much closer to Nigeria in this digital age. It will be built with state of the art cutting modern technology. At full operation, it would have cost about US$150m to build.

“The center will be certified by GlobalGAP on completion as it will be built under their supervision. The first Nigeria. We have them in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt, Ivory Coast and few other African countries. This facility will be 100% fully Nigeria owned," Okakpu said.

NAIJ.com earlier reported that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) waylaid Obiano in church on Sunday.

The IPOB members were reportedly chanting "no elections, no elections".

It was also gathered that crisis was averted when the governor was swiftly smuggled out of the church premises by members of the group.

You can watch this NAIJ.com TV video of an exclusive interview with IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu: