The British High Commissioner, Dr Richard Montgomery’s recent visit to Abia will avail the U-K an opportunity to explore areas of economic partnership with the state government.
This is according to a statement by Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, Senior Communications and Public Diplomacy Officer at the British High Commission (BHC) on Thursday in Abuja.
Akande-Alegbe said that Montgomery visited Umuahia, the state capital, between Aug. 20 and Aug. 21 for high-level discussions with the state governor, government stakeholders, and business leaders.
According to her, during the two-day visit, the high commissioner and the state governor, Alex Otti, discussed opportunities that could be beneficial to the state and the UK.
“The high commissioner considered visiting Abia for the first time as a great opportunity to engage and interact with key stakeholders.
“Abia state is key to boosting Nigeria’s economic prosperity and the UK is committed to driving that growth.
“We very much want to develop our partnership, both with the state government and the good people of Abia, to enhance prosperity in the region,” she said.
She said that the high commissioner and the governor attended the graduation ceremony of the State-Level Inclusive Digital Transformation Programme funded through the UK’s Digital Access Programme (DAP).
According to her, the programme was designed to bridge the digital skills gap by delivering relevant and applicable digital skills for the state’s civil servants.
The communication officer added that Montgomery also visited the Geometric Power Company, and met the team developing the Abia Innovation Industrial Park, and the Aba Chamber of Commerce.
She said that he also toured an industrial fair showcasing small and medium-scale manufacturers, and discussed opportunities for growth and partnerships with UK businesses where possible.
She said that Montgomery also sought their insights and advice on efforts to advance UK investment in the state
Meanwhile, the UK’s Country Director for the Department for Business and Trade, Mark Smithson, said that the department was well placed to support the Abia government and the private sector to drive trade in the state.
“We look forward to building on discussions we had, strengthening our ties and exploring areas of collaboration and partnerships to boost trade, and deliver prosperity to both our countries,” he said.