Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mbah, yesterday flagged off the construction of Nortra Tractor Assembly Plant and Service Centre, an investment by ODK Group of Denmark, in Enugu city. The governor also commissioned the New-Watson Doors Industry established by a Chinese firm at Nachi, Enugu.

Flagging off the construction of the Nortra Tractors Plant and Service Centre, Governor Mbah noted that it was a significant step to his administration’s vision to grow the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn.

“What we have gathered here to do today is not a mere symbolic act; it is certainly an act that takes us closer to the dream of having at least 1,000 tractors in Enugu by next year.

“We have always said that Enugu is going to be that premier destination for investors to come. But we realise this will not happen just by wishing for it, which is also why we have placed an order for at least 1,000 tractors, which we hope to at least have through this assembly plant.

“It would have been easier for us to place an order for 1,000 tractors. But we did not see the value in that, which is why we are only getting 200 tractors already assembled and imported here. But the remaining 800 will be assembled right here in Enugu.”

Earlier in her address, the Commissioner for Trade, Investment, and Industry, Adaora Chukwu, observed that Enugu was ODK Group’s first investment destination in Africa, adding that the Group’s specialisation and reputation for manufacturing innovative and high-quality agricultural equipment and machineries would scale-up agricultural production in the state.

The CEO of ODK Group Denmark, Mr. Morten Anderson, and the Managing Director of Nortra Tractors, Mr Philip Njoku, said that Enugu was chosen as the first entry point into Africa because they “identified Enugu as a state that is thriving powerfully in terms of innovation, commercialisation and everything you can think of in terms of development.”