In order to harness the economic potential of Kogi State, Governor Ahmed Ododo is seeking collaboration with the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) in a bid to establish a special economic zone.
Speaking in Abuja on behalf of the Kogi state government while on a visit to NEPZA, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Economy, Aliyu Salami said “We have come here to seek collaboration to institute a special economic zone in Kogi state.
“We have come to lay the building block and to be guided on how to set up an economic zone for the benefit of the state.
“This is important to us because Kogi state, as you know, is blessed with a host of solid minerals in commercial quantities.
“We also have huge agricultural potentials in the state, and we have abundant human resources as well. So to that extent, we want to bring all of these opportunities together to ensure that it works for the state.”
On his part, the Managing Director of NEPZA, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi promised to support the state to establish the special economic zone.
He said the state is blessed with many raw material resources.”We need to turn the raw material resources into value added products for export.
“We establish license support and regulate special economic zones. So if Kogi state can have an economic zone to harness all these potentials for industrialization, it will be good for the state.
“Once we have something like an industrial park to generate employment for Kogi state, the employment will generate taxes for state as well as develop the surrounding communities where the zone is situated,” he said.
Ogunyemi explained that the economic zone will also enable the transfer of technology. So there is a lot of benefits in having an economic park.
“I have pledged support for the quest to establish the special economic zone and my officers will be in contact with them (Kogi state government) to guide them through the application process.
“Once they apply and send a proposal, a team will be sent to Kogi state to evaluate the actual land and the plan, and we will guide them on changes they need to make.
“Hopefully, within a month, we will recommend to the President that they should be considered for an operating license,” the MD stated.
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