The Joint Projects Monitoring Committee of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) and the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) have concluded the inspection of 112 approved projects for the Authority.
Mr Martins Odeh, Head, Corporate Communications, NEPZA, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to the statement, the projects captured under the NEPZA Tenders Board of 2017-2021, are located at Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ), Kano Free Trade Zones (KFTZ) and the newly approved Lagos and Kwara Special Economic Zones respectively.
It said out of the 112 ongoing projects, a total of 76 had been completed with the CFTZ accounting for 28; KFTZ 38; Lekki SEZ 5; and Ilorin SEZ 5, while others were at different levels of completion.
Some of the projects, the statement said included: erosion control works and rehabilitation of collapsed perimeter fence, construction of emergency exit gates and access road to the jetties and re-asphalting of the exiting dual carriageway road network at CTFZ.
Others are: consulting services for master plan and architectural design; consulting services for engineering and infrastructure design; quantity surveying for feasibility studies at Kwara SEZ; and the development of initial 5MW power plant and electrical reticulation within the Ilorin SEZ.
“They also include: construction of roads with associated drainage work at KFTZ; construction of four standard size factory building and associated external works at KFTZ.
“Also is the purchase of property at No.38 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos; and the re-furbishing and furnishing of the newly acquired NEPZA new Lagos zonal office among others,” it said.
The statement quoted Hajia Zainab Aliyu, Director of Monitoring and Compliance, NEPZA, expressing satisfaction with the level of projects execution across the four zones during the tour in Calabar,
Aliyu added that the Federal Government had always ensured value-for-money in the execution of its contracts.
She said the approval for the inspection of the projects indicated government’s priority toward adequate provision of infrastructure in the free trade zones.
She added that the development showed the commitment of the Prof. Adesoji Adesugba led-management to the interpretation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy for a profitable and competitive zone scheme.
“As part of the statutory responsibility of NEPZA as provided in Section 4 of the Authority’s Act 63 of 1992 is the provision that ensures that all zones provide some of the basic infrastructure.
“We are also obliged to constantly monitor and evaluate both new and old infrastructure.
“The reasons for these monitoring and evaluation exercises were to ensure the right quality of materials were used and the right quality of jobs are done, just as we also checked the percentage of work done in line with the amount assigned for the project.
“The Authority has, however, decided to carry out the task jointly with our supervising Ministry, which is the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and so far, we were encouraged by the progress of executions,” she said.
Mr Martins Odeomenem, Director of Procurement, FMITI, explained that the projects approved through the Ministerial Tenders Board had been completed.
“It is not all about awarding contracts and executing contracts; there is also the need for every office that has the duty of awarding contracts to know that government is seriously after value-for-money.
“NEPZA abhors shoddy execution of its projects because of the strategic nature of the free zones in attracting foreign investment.
“We have gone around and I can say with all sense of responsibility that we are satisfied with what we have met on ground,” he said.
Hon. Richard Gbande, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Commerce, at the Kano tour, expressed satisfaction with how the authority had managed the special economic ecosystem, describing it as a vital economic gateway that should fast track the industrialisation of the Northern region.
Gbande explained that the zone was lucrative going by the presence of 75 enterprises functioning night and day to increase production for the country’s highly competitive markets.
“We are sure production and competition among the enterprises in the zone would increase significantly if the Federal Government finally divests its equity to the private sector as planned,” he said.
