Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has appealed to the Federal Government to approve Remo Economic Zone as a Free Trade Zone.
Governor Abiodun, who made the appeal when he received the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite and her team in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, noted that the approval would enable processing companies that have signed to process raw materials in the Zone commence operations.
"We have an impending application for the Remo Economic Zone in your office as a Special Economic Zone that enjoys the status of a Free Trade Zone and the reason for that is very simple. The entire economic zone is being developed in partnership between the state government and the third party and we have located the airport as one of the enablers. Part of the requirements that we signed with our partner was that this Economic Zone will be Free Trade Zone".
"It allows all the processing companies all over the world who have already signed to process in that zone to process the raw materials that will be brought from all over the State and the zone. They can export them to other parts of the continent.
" We are aware that when you assumed office, you decided to review the numbers of Free Trade Zones that we have in the country and decide on which ones are truly required, needed and deserving.
"The problem we have is that our partners in the determination to move that economic zone, have begun to award contracts and because the model we have was that in the process of doing that, there are certain taxes that you have to pay if it is not an economic zone and that is hindering the process which is why we are looking at ways solving the problem speedily", he said.
Governor Abiodun emphasised that the Zone would record multiple processing companies willing to sign up to begin work in the zone in the next one year, if the approval was given, saying his administration had created four economic zones in the last four and a half years, in addition to the existence of Agbara Industrial Zone, which included, Ota and Kajola axes.
" We realised that it is important to have these Economic Zones around the state so that investors can conveniently choose the part of the state that suits them’’, he said.
While intimating the Minister on efforts to further attract investments to the state, the state’s helmsman informed that his administration would soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its partner to commence construction of the Deep Seaport at Olokola, to complete the circle of economic zones.
Speaking earlier, Dr. Uzoka Anite, applauded Governor Abiodun for his developmental strides, adding that the spate of establishment of industries in the state was a confirmation of the conducive business environment and availability of necessary infrastructure that attracts investors.
She said as the industrial capital, the Gateway State had distinguished itself as a pioneer and leader in developing, expanding and attracting industries with ease, pointing out that the visit was an opportunity to rub minds on how best to collaborate.
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