The Managing Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority, NEPZA, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba had set up a committee to access all the projects that have been earmarked for execution in the last two years, where it has been certified that the projects were successfully accomplished.
Adesugba who took over on the 30th June 2020 hit the ground running by ensuring completion of uncompleted NEPZA projects scattered round the country. The projects were 112 approved projects and through his efforts 76 was completed and functional. It is on this ground that he set up a joint project monitoring committee comprising of officials from the ministry of Industry Trade and Investment to confirm the completion of the projects.
These projects are located in Kano Free Trade Zones and the newly approved Lagos and Kwara Special Economic Zones respectively. The project work is captured under the NEPZA Tender Board of 2017-2021. It also has the approval of the Federal Executive Council FEC ,
In a statement signed by Martins Odeh, Head, Corporate Communications, NEPZA said Some of the projects include, Erosion Control Works & Rehabilitation of Collapsed Perimeter Fence at CFTZ; Construction of Emergency Exit Gates & Access Road to the Jetties at CFTZ; Re-Asphalting of the Exiting Dual Carriageway Road Network at CTFZ; Consulting Services for Master-plan & Architectural Design at Kwara SEZ, Consulting Services for Engineering & Infrastructure Design at Kwara SEZ, Quantity Surveying for Feasibility Studies at Kwara SEZ, and the Development of initial 5MW Power Plant & Electrical Reticulation within the Ilorin SEZ.
This also include: The Construction of Roads with Associated Drainage Work at KFTZ; Construction of Four Standard Size Factory Building & Associated External Works at KFTZ; The Purchase of Property at No.38 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos and the Re-furbishing & Furnishing of the Newly acquired NEPZA new Lagos Zonal Office among others.
Meanwhile, Martins Odeomenem, Director, Procurement, who led the team members from the Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment, described NEPZA as a serious agency of government that had always displayed uprightness in the conduct of its affairs. He explained that the ministry was, however, mostly concerned with those projects approved through the Ministerial Tender Board, adding that most of projects under the above category had been completed.
He added that 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. The inspections were aimed at ascertaining if the contracts the government awarded within the period under review are achieving the purpose for which they were awarded and executed. This is the essence of our assignment.