WorldStage– The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has assured that the 300 million dollars (N426 billion) Abuja Industrial Park will create about 40,000 jobs when fully operational.
NEPZA Managing Director, Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday following an inspection of the Free Trade Zone project in Abuja.
Ogunyemi commended Zeberced, the management company, for accelerating construction of the 250-hectare industrial park located at Idu Industrial Layout Phase IV.
He said the project would accommodate more than 170 factories and expand industrial activities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“With this initiative, the administration has boosted the country’s manufacturing and export indices through a 300 million dollars investment,” he said.
He said the development justified President Bola Tinubu’s decision to license the Abuja Industrial Park as a Free Trade Zone.
Ogunyemi said the project would provide employment opportunities for Nigeria’s youths and contribute to the country’s economic growth.
He, however, urged host communities to protect the facility, stressing that security was critical to attracting and retaining investments of such magnitude.
The NEPZA boss described the Aug. 8 invasion of the zone by some Jiwa youths as unacceptable and capable of undermining investor confidence.
According to him, the youths allegedly pulled down part of the perimeter fence to create an unauthorised access road.
“NEPZA shall not tolerate unilateral encroachment, destruction and theft in the zone, as such actions contravene Section 13(1) of the NEPZA Act,” he said.
Ogunyemi warned that unauthorised access could expose investments to vandalism, theft, trespass and other security threats.
He said the authority had alerted the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Commissioner of Police about the emerging security concerns.
He added that NEPZA would collaborate with relevant authorities strengthen security around the industrial park.
Ogunyemi disclosed that meetings would also be held with Wike and the Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, to address the road network around the industrial park.
He said NEPZA would work with the police and FCT authorities to identify those responsible for the incident and investigate possible internal lapses.
The NEPZA managing director said the authority would support the affected company in assessing losses and addressing disruptions to its operations.
He added that security would be strengthened through perimeter fencing, additional CCTV cameras, floodlights and 24-hour patrols.
“NEPZA reassures all current and prospective investors that the safety of personnel and assets remains our top priority,” Ogunyemi said.
He assured investors that the incident would not deter NEPZA from making Nigeria’s Free Trade Zones preferred destinations for global investment.
