Billions of dollars of mustered fund lay dormant and
accumulate cots, investment proposals for coal fired power projects and other
coal conversion technologies accumulate dust in the shelf, and foreign partners
begin to get impatient as promoters of Enugu Power and Energy Free Trade Zone
(ENPOWER FTZ) wait endlessly for the Ministry of Trade and Investments to
approve the project.
Showing rare anxiety over the unexplained delay of the
EMPOWER FTZ, business and political leaders from the South East zone of the
country have strongly demanded the federal government to urgently give effect
to the presidential approval for establishment of free trade zone in the area.
Speaking separately to newsmen after a closed door meeting
in Lagos, some of the leaders from South South and South Eastern parts of the
country strongly deplored the reluctance of the Ministry of Trade and
Investments to facilitate establishment the investment haven in the zone 19
months after President Goodluck made a solemn promise to the people.
Specifically, President of Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy
Uwazuruike, said the president’s promise was genuine, sincere and in the best
interest of the people, wandering why relevant agencies in his administration
were reluctant to realize the mandate.
He called on the Minister of Trade and Investments, Mr.
Olusegun Aganga, expedite action on establishing the tax haven which, according
to him, aligns with the Transformation Agendas of government in creating wealth
across all spectrum of the Nigerian society.
According to him, Igbos are noted for audacious commercial
ventures and would deliver full targets and objectives of the Free Trade Zone
programme by creating multiple values and leading industrial innovation if facilitated
by adequate infrastructure and amenities congenial for industrial
operations.
He pointed out that the aspiration of the free trade zone
for the south east was to leverage investments that would create jobs, enhance
productivity and generate revenues for all stakeholders in the Nigerian
economy.
In expressing the anxiety of the pan-Igbo professional and
economic group associated with Ohan’eze Ndigbo, Chief Uwazuruike stated that
Aka Ikenga is immeasurably worried about the protracted delays in establishing
the facility, adding that Minister must speedily realise the project or offer
explanations.
Other businessmen and investors who have already staked
efforts in driving the realization of the free zone lamented that the resources
they mustered for development of industrial facilities in the highly
anticipated free zone have continued to depreciate after laying fallow for too
long at a time of rapid changes in the local economy.
They expressed dismay at the slow pace with which authorities
under the Ministry of Trade and Investment respond to series of letters seeking
approval for the free zone to be created and enable investors who have
mobilized resources to go to site for installation of industrial plants.
The UNION reports that after 19 months after President
Jonathan granted the request by the leaders of the south east zone and declared
that his administration would establish a free trade zone in Enugu to be the
first ever of such facility in the South east zone, no further action has been
taken by relevant agencies of government after the event.
The President who spoke amid great acclamation from leaders
and people of the five south east states that form the zone was in the state
for the ground-breaking ceremony of the international wing of the Akanu Ibiam
International Airport in Enugu. He had promised to establish a free trade zone
in the South East to boost economic activities in the area.
The president, who noted that a free trade zone would be
operational alongside the international airport and the planned inland port at
nearby River Niger, pointed out that the facility had been over-due for the
zone.
“When the governor of Enugu State was making the request of
a free trade zone, I was smiling in my mind. The certificate is right for the
zone so you do not need to ask.
“Free trade zones can only be functional if it has access to
a functional seaport or international airport , so it is something that has
been approved before you requested for it. So, you can go and sleep,’’ he had
promised.
The president also promised to establish a cargo terminal
for perishable food items at the airport for quick processing and evacuation of
agricultural produce from local farms to consumers abroad.
According to him, when the cargo airport is constructed, it
will give Nigerians the opportunity to export agricultural produce and create
wealth at home.
“The opening of this airport is one of the key requests I
received from my brothers and sisters from the South East during my campaign
for the election as president in 2011.
“I promised them to bring about the transformation of our
economy and nation. Today, it is a historical fact as we have fulfilled our
promise,’’ the president said.
Earlier in a welcome address, Gov. Sullivan Chime of Enugu
State had commended the president for his transformation agenda and called on
the aviation ministry not to relent until the Akanu Ibiam International Airport
became fully operational.
The governor said a free trade zone, to be situated in
Enugu, would assist the entrepreneurial skills of the people.
However, check by journalist monitoring development in the
zone showed that delays in the activation of the free zone is beginning to
cause serious concern to the leaders of the zone most of who have blamed the Nigerian
Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) and the Ministry of Trade and
Investments for a crippling delay they fear might kill the project.
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