Governor of Enugu of State, Dr. Peter Mbah, on Monday toured the Sapphire Ceramics Company at Obinofia Ndiuno, Ezeagu LGA, Enugu State, where he pledged to sustain the improved ease of doing business in the state under his leadership.

Mbah said the successes recorded by the company were testimonies to the state’s improved business environment and a further assurance that his administration’s vision to grow the state’s economy from $4.4 to $30 was realisable, calling on both local and foreign investors to take advantage of this and the abundance of mineral resources in the state.

“Frankly, this is exactly what we had in mind when we made the announcement that we were going to grow our economy exponentially. What we have planned is to see how we will have a government-enabled platform, but private sector-driven growth; and that is essentially what we have come here today to witness.

“So, having such a humongous industry, a factory that is producing 75,000 square meters of tiles everyday and also has over 800 employees is good for our economy. And essentially, stories like this assure us of the fact that our projection of growing this economy to $30 billion is realisable.

“We are very happy that we are able to provide this platform for Sapphire Ceramics to grow. Our job is to ensure that we continue to put policies in place to expand their operations to a scale where they will employ more people and reduce our burden as a state government.

“We know that private sector investment won’t happen by a chance occurrence, but through painstaking and well-crafted policies to attract investors. So, we are mindful of all the key indicators of the ease of doing business – infrastructure, security, efficient legal and regulatory framework, among others.

“Again, I want to let investors know that the slogan ‘Enugu is open for business’ or ‘Enugu is ready for business’ is not just mere posturing. We mean it. We are determined. We are not just going to provide the environment to do business, we are also going to help you de-risk your investment so that, indeed, Enugu will be that premier destination for investment,” the governor stated.

Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of the Sapphire Ceramics, Mr. Wang Chengfang, commended the Governor Mbah Administration for rolling out policies, programmes, and development projects that support business growth and guarantee return on investment.

He said, “We are honoured to choose to invest and set up a factory in Enugu State. In today’s complex global economic environment, we have been working with the state government to contribute to the state’s economic development.

“Despite the current situation of unstable Naira exchange rate and increasing competitive pressure, we have always adhered to our original intention and worked hard to improve the quality of our products so that the company can gain greater development advantages in a difficult environment.

“At present, our company has increased from the initial 300 local workers to nearly 800 workers. In the future, we will try our best to develop and broaden investment directions to create more jobs for Enugu State.”

Mr. Chengfang urged potential investors to look in the direction of Enugu State for their investments.

“As we all know, Enugu State is rich in mineral resources. Our company has chosen to invest and base itself in Enugu State. It also has a huge demand for mineral resources in terms of production.

“We have always hoped to fully cooperate with the state government to strive to develop and make good use of the state’s rich mineral resources, and contribute to the state’s economic development.

“At the same time, the development of our enterprise cannot be separated from the full support of the state government. The state government has provided a very good business environment for our development.”

He said Sapphire Ceramics would be joining the Mbah Administration in its investment promotion effort and called on “more Chinese companies to invest in Enugu State and contribute to the ‘New Enugu City’ development plan.”

Over 840 event centres and social facilities in Lagos state have been shut down in the last one year, over safety infractions and non-compliance with extant laws.

The commissioner for special duties and intergovernmental relations, Gbenga Oyerinde, during the ministerial press briefing to mark Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s first year in the second term, said the ministry is working in line with the THEMES Plus agenda to mitigate risks and protect life and property.

According to him, the Lagos State Safety Commission carried out enforcement action at 840 facilities, including event centres, clubs, lounges and hotels, and construction sites for safety infractions. He added that about 7,819 facilities were inspected to ensure safety, and another 5,220 were issued with fire safety compliance certificates.

The commission also carried out about 365 environmental safety advocacy initiatives.

The commissioner also said the Fire and Rescue Service rescued 376 victims during the period under review. Property worth N152.22 billion was preserved, with 82 casualties and N25.37 billion in property lost.

He added: “In line with efforts to bolster infrastructure, three new fire stations are nearing completion in Ijegun-Egba, Satellite Town, and Ijede, while an ultramodern workshop at the Alausa headquarters is nearly finished to cater to the agency’s fleet maintenance needs.

“Additionally, land spaces have been identified for the development of additional fire stations in Ibeju, Lekki, and Ifako Ijaiye.

“The Fire and Rescue Service is also sustaining its focus on enhancing fire mitigation and emergency response strategies, aligning with the THEMES Plus Agenda. Key statistics from the year’s emergency calls show 2,537 incidents, including 1,627 fire calls, 191 rescue calls, 93 salvage calls, and four explosions, alongside 607 false alarms.

“This highlights the critical need for increased awareness of fire safety measures to combat the impact of negligence and non-compliance with safety codes.”

Also during the year under review, he said the welfare of personnel received a boost, with special allowances approved for firefighters, including uniform maintenance, shift allowances, hazard allowance, and provision of personal protective equipment.