The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA has decorated the Special Economic Zones Security Officers to boost the security architecture of the Free Trade Zones across the country.
The Minister for Industry Trade and Investment, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo said this during the decoration in Abuja Nigeria’s capital.
Mr. Adebayo stated that the security outfit was a deliberate measure to further fortify the country’s 46 Free Trade Zones against economic sabotage and for the protection of investments domiciled in those special business areas.
According to him ‘’The outfit which is midwifed by the Directorate of State Services is established to specialize in the security of investments, complement the wonderful services already provided by the DSS, Police, Civil Defense, the Nigeria Custom Service and the Nigeria Immigration Service respectively.
‘’The Nigerian Government is hopeful that this new development is a sure way to attract more Foreign Direct Investment, FDI to locate where it can be secured,’’ he said.
He urged the investing public to see the new security outfit as an additional incentive for the assurance that investments are safe in the country.
Also speaking, the Director General of NEPZA, Professor Adesoji Adesugba explained that the desire for the security outfit was borne out of the need to further strengthen the existing security architecture and to boost the existing collaboration with other security outfits in the country.
“The reason we decided to establish the unit cannot be overemphasized, our ultimate aim, however, is simply to provide adequate security to lives, properties and investments in the free trade zones.
‘’The issue of security and its attendant challenges have been of serious concern in our Beloved nation, this bold step we took will help to build the confidence of investors, owners of enterprises in the zones, and prospective investors alike in our management of the free zone scheme’’.
‘’We have come to decorate these officers with their ranks and also to again unveil them to the investing public as a mark of our resolve to open up the scheme for sustainable global business exchanges and competition’’. Professor Adesugba added.
Confidence Okwuchi
