Gov. Alex Otti of Abia says the state has become a strategic zone for investment and genuinely gaining the attention of local and foreign business communities.
Otti said this on Wednesday during the inauguration of the Aba Branch of the Signature Bank.
He attributed the development to the outcome of the State Government’s efforts to transform the state into a business-friendly environment through robust initiatives to enhance the state’s ease of doing business ranking.
He further said that the establishment of Signature Bank in Aba was an indication that Abia had become a place for business planning to tap into new frontiers of business opportunities.
He commended the bank for its decision to invest in Abia and expressed optimism that the state would welcome many more businesses in the months ahead.
The governor described the decision of the bank to open two branches simultaneously in Abia (Aba and Umuahia), as a pointer that government’s efforts to make Abia business friendly had started yielding good results.
He said: “Our dear state has become a place of serious interest for investors, including major foreign conglomerates on account of our active commitment to turning every part of the state into a major center of enterprise.
“Our guiding philosophy as a government is firm on being proactive in decision making, cutting down barriers to enterprise success and answering the very important question of security, critical infrastructure and environmental sustainability.”
Otti urged the bank to support the smart and bankable ideas of millions of the people of Abia, through its healthy system of structured financial services to enable them to achieve their dream of building businesses.
He said that he was proud to be associated with the bank but had resigned his membership of it’s Board of Directors upon his assumption of office as Abia governor.
He said: “For purposes of full disclosure, I wish to inform you that until about eight months ago, I sat on the board of Signature Bank as a pioneer non-executive director and one of its founders, until my present role.
“It is also important to indicate that I had to resign before taking up the role I am occupying now, so I am here not as a director but as the governor.”
He affirmed government’s commitment to support the success of businesses and encourage potential investors interested in setting their businesses in Abia.
In a speech, the Chairman of the bank’s Board of Directors, Dr Mutiu Sunmonu, reiterated the vision of the bank to revolutionise the financial services industry.
Sunmonu, represented by Mr Uzoma Nwankwo, said that as the bank’s first branch in the South-East, “it would be our anchor branch and our most profitable branch in the region”.
He said that the bank would offer tailor-made financial solutions and services to its customers, which would serve as a catalyst to the success of their various enterprises.
Sunmonu said that the bank would leverage cutting edge technology to make banking, not just a transaction, but a seamless and enriching experience for its customers.
He said that the bank would be an active participant in the strive by government to actualise its rebuilding agenda, impact businesses positively and contribute to the financial well-being of every individual in Aba and beyond.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the bank, Mr Godwin Nosike, expressed the bank’s determination to provide the necessary support to grow businesses in Abia.
Nosike said that the Aba branch would serve as a gateway for the bank to become an integral part of the lives and businesses that thrive in the vibrant city.
“We aim to provide a wide array of financial support services enough to meet the needs of our customers in Aba and its surrounding communities,” he said.
According to him, the bank will be committed to delivering personalised and efficient banking solutions as well as work collaboratively with customers to achieve their financial goals.
BRANDPOWER reports that the governor also inaugurated the Umuahia branch of the bank later on the same day.
