By Dada Ahmed
The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), says it is diligently deploying the Special Economic Zone Scheme to revolutionise the Sokoto State economic space.
Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, the NEPZA Managing Director, made the disclosure while taking delivery of Certificate-of- Occupancy of 503.8 hectares of land for the proposed world-class special economic zone to be sited in Sokoto state, from the Governor of the state, Aminu Tambuwal on Wednesday in Abuja.
Adesugba, also Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, said the state had been deliberately positioned to attract the right investments, adding that investments could only locate where they were welcomed.
He explained that NEPZA was aware of the great efforts put in to make Sokoto to occupy the second position of the recent national survey on “Ease of Doing Business’’ by the governor, adding that the state, through that singular effort, had worked its way to becoming a global business hub.
Adesugba explained that the Federal Government was applying the scheme to yield the desired results, saying that the new NEPZA management was assiduously pursuing its mandate of using the free trade zone to revolutionise the country’s business environment.
“We are convinced that with diligent application of the principles of the scheme, we shall have the same benefits as countries like China, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Kenya and Egypt that have also greatly leveraged on this scheme.
“I am particularly enthused with the way and manner Egypt has greatly turned around its economy,using this scheme. We are happy that Sokoto and a number of states in the country are now prepared to embrace this global economic innovative model that easily propels growth.
“We, therefore, congratulate the Sokoto Government and the good people of that state for joining the league of cities with special economic zones,’’ Adesugba said.
Gov. Tambuwal, earlier explained that the business ecosystem of the state was now ready for exploitations by the private sector, adding that it was incumbent on the administration to stimulate commerce, in greater measure, for the benefit of the people.
He also said that the collaboration with NEPZA, to help drive industrialisation of the state through the zone scheme, was remarkable, hoping that the proposed Sokoto State Economic Zone, when fully operational, would improve all growth and development indices.
The highpoint of the event was the agreement by parties to set up an implementation committee for the rake-off of this laudable project, according to Martins Odeh,
Head, Corporate Communications, NEPZA in a statement he signed in Abuja and made available a copy to The Reporters,an online publication on Thursday.
