Abuja
Taraba State Government has solicited support of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA for the establishment of Special Economic Zone in the State, in a bid to further enhance the economic development of the state.
The Governor of the State, Mr Darius Ishaku, made the appeal when he a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of NEPZA, Professor Adesoji Adesugba in Abuja.
The Governor expressed optimism that such zone would as well lead to job creation and empowerment of the teeming youths and women in the area.
According to the Governor, the zone will boost the mineral resources, agricultural products and abundant tourism potential of the state,if established in three locations in the state.
Receiving the Governor and his entourage, Adesugba expressed NEPZA’s readiness to assist the State Government toward the realisation of its dream of having a Special Economic Zone.
The NEPZA,who boss identified industrialization as the way to go, urged other State Governments to key into NEPZA’s economic programmes to aid diversification of the nation’s economy.
He stated that time had come for Nigeria to emulate countries like China, Turkey, Ethiopia among others in the area of industrialization with a view to combating unemployment, through technology and skills acquisition.
The NEPZA Managing Director further advised the three tiers of government to prioritise programmes aimed at complementing President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration’s efforts to create jobs, reduce poverty to the barest minimum and ensure economic development of the nation.