OGFZA seeks intervention to operate in Snake Island

From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

Oil and Gas Free Zone firms are seeking judicial intervention to regulate operations within the Snake Island Integrated Free Zone (SIIFZ).

In a statement by Qudus Mumumey, it  expressed disappointment with the way the Ministry of industry, Trade and Investment handled the matter.

The letter from the Ministry undermines the authority of the court on settlement of the cases in the free trade zones.

OGFZA stated that the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had served letters to oil and gas free zones, including SIIFZ informing them of its readiness to implement the minister’s directive which empowered the authority to assume full regulatory powers over those zones.

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Earlier, the Nigerdock and others had sought judicial intervention refusing OGFZA to regulate the oil and gas opetations within SIIFZ.

Mumumey seeks to know if there is a provision in the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) Act, if SIIFZ should be  regulated by NEPZA being the authority vested with the administration of free trade zones.

If the answers to the above questions were in the affirmative, the court should not hesitate in granting a declaration that the Nigeria Export Processing NEPZA is responsible for the administration and regulation of the   SIIFZ.