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The Managing Director (MD) of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Dr Olufemi Ogunyemi and his team, on Thursday, paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, in Government House, Calabar.
During his opening statements, Dr. Ogunyemi conveyed the warm regards of the Honourable Minister of Trade and Investment. He expressed satisfaction with the significant progress achieved by Governor Bassey Otu’s administration in various development sectors within just a few months in office, emphasizing that “Governor Otu has performed admirably.”
He listed the prompt payments of salaries of civil servants and pensioners, approve use of concrete for road construction, installation of solar powered street lights across the three Senatorial District of the State, lifting bans on wood logging, which according to him has revitalized the wood industry, ongoing building of fruit arcade and hosting the biggest street party in Africa and much more. According to the MD, “All these achievements and more are possible because your adminstration undertook bold steps to reduce the customary problems and mobilize resources to achieve the ‘Peoples First’ projects in line with the ‘Renewed Hope’ Mantra of Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.”
Ogunyemi, speaking further, said NEPZA and the Calabar Free Trade Zone are determined to give this government the needed support within the ambit of the law that established Free Trade Zones in Nigeria to ensure a prosperous tenure for the present administration.
In the area of Corporate Social Responsibility, Dr. Ogunyemi said NEPZA had built and donated several equipment to University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Police Station, Technical Schools, donation of satellite communication equipment, installation of 33KVA transformer in their host Community, award of scholarships to indigent students in the state amongst others.
While appealing to state government to take advantage of their tax incentives to set up enterprises or groups of enterprises to harness viable economic benefits to boost the revenue generating base of the State, he reiterated NEPZA’s commitment to partner and support the state.
Responding, the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, who welcomed the team on behalf of the Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prince) Bassey Otu, assured the NEPZA boss and his team of state government’s readiness to partner and give NEPZA the needed support to carry out their operations in the state without any hitch, noting that if EPZ works, it is also to the state’s benefit because it will make other state owned facilities like Tinapa to work
Odey called on EPZ to intensify its marketing efforts for Tinapa by directing potential investors to the business resort. He commended their unrelenting efforts in regards to their Corporate Social Responsibility to their host community and the people of the State.
The NEPZA boss was accompanied on the visit by officials of the Calabar Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and Tinapa Business Resort Trade Zone.
Other participants present during the visit included the Secretary to State Government, Prof Anthony Owan Enoh, several members of the State Exco, including the Commissioner for Industries, Dr. Mathias Angioha, Commissioner for Commerce, Dr. Mrs. Abigail Duke-Orok, Commissioner for Information, Mr. Erasmus Ekpang, Commissioner for Culture and Tourism Development, Hon. Abuvakar Ewa, and Commissioner for Transport, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham as well as the Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Mr. Patrick Egbede.
