The Federal Government has presented license to the Delta State Government for the establishment of a Special Economic Zone.
Presenting the license to the State Governor, Dr, Ifeanyi Okowa in Abuja, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba advised other States who are yet to key into the Scheme to do so to enhance national economic development.
Prof Adesugba said with the coming of Africa Free Continental Trade Agreement, AfCFTA, Special Economic Zone now become necessary to enable Nigeria effectively harness the economic benefits of the AfCFTA.
While promising NEPZA’s necessary technical assistance towards realizing the objectives of the project, Prof. Adesugba called for more public-private sector collaboration towards developing Special Economic Zones in the country.
Receiving the license, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa commended the Federal Government for approving and issuing the license.
Governor Okowa said the State was into oil and gas as well as agriculture hence the need for the Special Economic Zone to further harness its resources towards economic development of the State.
He said necessary modalities had been put in place towards ensuring the success of the project to create thousands of jobs in the State.
In a message, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo expressed the Federal Government’s readiness to support Delta State Government on ways that would boost its economic development and job creation.
Earlier, the Lead Consultant of the Project, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode described Special Economic Zone as vital to economic development of any State in the country
Prince Adetokunbo Kayode who is four times Minister in Nigeria commended Delta State Government for giving priority to the establishment of the Zone which he said would add value to Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the State and attract investment needed for development
Reporting by Hassan Hussain, editing by Daniel Adejo