The Nigerian Economic Zones Association (NEZA), has described as ‘falsehood mixed with ignorance’, reports making over purported recovered N17billion from companies operating in the zones.
The umbrella body for investors and enterprises operating within the country’s free trade zones, described the reports as “a blatant misrepresentation of facts”.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Economic Zones Association, Toyin Elegbede in Abuja said, “There was no recovery of any such amount from its members as claimed by the lawmaker.
He stated that the committee chairman must have been either misinformed or engaged in deliberate twisting of facts to suit a purpose its members are yet to be aware of.
“From all available facts, the money the committee chairman referred to must have been a mix up of the N15 billion allocated to a company incorporated by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment under the former Minister, Okechukwu Enelamah.
“The said money has nothing to do with loss of revenue. Our members submit yearly audited reports to the regulators, NEPZA and OGFZA, which review or query such reports,”Elegbede said.
He also faulted the committee chairman for questioning the relationship between the operators of the free zones and companies operating under them during the committee’s interaction with the Acting MD of Dangote Industries FZ, adding “we think the committee chairman is misrepresenting what the law says on how economic zones should operate.”
