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  • Umana describes Attah as courageous, tenacious leader at book launch 

    Umana describes Attah as courageous, tenacious leader at book launch 

    The former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana has described the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Arc. (Obong) Victor Attah as a leader who was courageous and tenacious during his tenure for 8 years, despite the opposition from the federal government.

    Umana, who was speaking during the launching of a book “8 Years of Victor Attah in Akwa Ibom State: A Memoir for Posterity” at Watbridge Hotels, Uyo yesterday. 

    He hinted that Attah’s 8 years as a governor of Akwa Ibom State was a glorious tenure with solid infrastructures.

    Also speaking, the chairman of the occasion, Senator Ekong Sampson thanked the author for documenting the numerous achievements of Attah for posterity and putting it in black and white so that issues cannot be distorted.

    He thanked God for keeping Attah very healthy to be an encouragement to other leaders, stating that Attah has touched lives in so many ways and a blessing to Akwa Ibom State and the country at large, while praying to God to give him good health and long-life.

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    Senator Sampson, who was represented at the event by Prof. Etete Peters, also charged the people to support the book launch and also encouraged them to purchase copies for schools and libraries.

    The book presenter, Professor Akpan Ekpo described Attah as a man of integrity, principle and highly detribalised Nigerian, a man who fought gallantly for the resources in Akwa Ibom  and Niger Delta region.

    He thanked the author of the book and his team for writing the book, for a man who did not participate in the 8years tenure of Obong Victor Attah by name Mr. Faith Thomas.

    The events had in attendance some former commissioners who served under Attah’s administration, representative of Oku Ibom Ibibio and paramount ruler of Uyo and Ibesikpo Asutan  local government area and numerous penalties.

    The book has 10 sections and 44 chapters, each section contains average of 5 chapters and about 307 pages.

    Umana served in Attah’s administration as Director of Budget; Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Budget, and later Commissioner of Finance and Economics Planning till the end of the administration.

  • Umana affirms loyalty to APC

    Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) Obong Umana Okon Umana has reaffirmed his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He spoke against the background of “a false, malicious and completely misleading story on the social media that he is contemplating defecting from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

    A statement by his spokesman Iboro Otongaran quoted Umana as denying a claim that he had concluded a plan to quit the ruling party adding that  “the author of the publication is known for publishing false stories to malign leaders in the state and impugn the integrity of other distinguished members of the society.

    “He is currently facing a serious criminal charge in a court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for false publication against Deputy Governor of the State Chief Moses Ekpo. Sometime last year, he was detained by the police for false publication.

    “Contrary to the false publication under reference, Umana is working assiduously with other leaders and members of his great party, the APC, to ensure the victory of the party at all levels in the upcoming elections.

    “This fact is clearly evident in the media coverage of Umana’s participation in party activities both in the state and at the national level.”

  • Umana refutes defection report, affirms loyalty to APC

    Managing Director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) Umana Okon Umana has dismissed reports he was in talks bordering on defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) as completely false.

    He reaffirmed his loyalty to the party, saying nothing could make him switch allegiance to the opposition.

    In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Iboro Otongaran, Umana said: “We want to inform members of the public that the write-up in question is completely false and baseless.

    “Contrary to the false publication under reference, Umana is working assiduously with other leaders and members of his great party to ensure the victory of the party at all levels in the upcoming elections.

    “This fact is clearly evident in the media coverage of Umana’s participation in party activities both in the state and at the national level.

    “Members of the public are by this rebuttal advised to disregard the said false and baseless publication in its entirety as the handiwork of an imposter masquerading as a journalist.”

     

  • Akpabio, Umana unite for Ekere

    Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Mr Umana Umana, his former Secretary to the State Government and 2015 gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have settled their political rift.

    The two politicians, widely perceived to command the largest followership of politicians in Ikot Ekpene and Uyo senatorial districts, respectively, fell out towards the 2015 governorship election.

    To pave way for the emergence of Mr Udom Emmanuel as governor in 2015, Chief Akpabio appointed Mr Emmanuel to replace Mr Umana as Secretary to State Government in 2013 and subsequently zoned out Mr Umana from the governorship race in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leading to Mr Umana’s defection to the APC in 2014.

    But at the weekend at a special solidarity rally for President Muhammadu Buhari and Obong Nsima Ekere, the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Senator Akpabio drew Mr Umana to his side and declared that the rift was over with their common interest in the re-election of President Buhari and election of Obong Ekere as Governor.

    “In politics, you can never have permanent enemies. You have permanent interests. Umana wants President Buhari. Umana wants Nsima Ekere. I want President Buhari. I want Nsima Ekere,” he said.

    Enumerating many of his landmark projects in Uyo Senatorial District as Governor, Akpabio, who electrified the huge crowd with solidarity songs in support of Obong Ekere, expressed belief that Obong Ekere will , on assumption of office as Governor, complete some of those projects abandoned by his successor, Governor Emmanuel, particularly in Uyo, the state capital.

    “It is possible for government to work. Uyo people were connected in my government. Nsima Ekere has told me that he is going to connect Uyo again. Uyo is going to shine again,” he said.

    On his part, Mr Umana, who chaired the occasion, reiterated his support for Mr Ekere.

    “We are equally pleased with Dr Nsima Ekere, Managing Director of the NDDC, who has delighted the state and the APC family with his impressive performance at the Commission. We join all his well-wishers to celebrate him and wish him success in the governorship race so that he can put his demonstrable leadership skills at the service of his people,” he said.

    Mr Umana, who is the Managing Director of Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, declared that “Uyo Senatorial District stands with President Buhari and wants Dr Nsima Ekere because their track records have earned our trust.”

  • Umana: Notore’ll attract $5b FDI, create 25,000 jobs

    Umana: Notore’ll attract $5b FDI, create 25,000 jobs

    The Managing Director, Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Mr Umana Okon Umana, has said Notore Oil and Gas Free Zone will attract more than $5 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country and create 25,000 jobs with its new status as a free zone developer.

    Speaking during the licence presentation ceremony of Oil and Gas Free Zone Developer status on Notore Chemical Industries Plc in OGFZA’s office in Abuja, he said the licence presentation follows the company’s satisfactory compliance with the requirements for a free zone developer licence.

    Notore Chemical Industries Plc, a Nigerian agro-allied, petrochemicals and power company, is located within the Eleme industrial hub of Rivers State.

    Umana said OGFZA licensed Notore Chemical Industries Plc to operate as an Oil and Gas Free Zone Developer in line with Sections 9 and 10 of the OGFZA Act and Sections 32 and 33 of the Oil and Gas Export Free Zone Regulations 2003.

    He said: “I am happy to report that having met the statutory requirements, Notore Chemical Industries Plc has been granted a Free Zone Developer Licence by the Authority within the area so designated under the Act of 1996.”

    He advised Notore Chemical Industries Plc “to note and comply with continuing obligations of a licensee as provided under section 34 of the 2003 Regulations,”  promising an enabling environment for investors in the new free zone.

    Also speaking on the occasion, the Group Managing Director of Notore Chemical Industries, Mr Onajite Okoloko, said the Free Zone Developer Status “will propel the company and indeed Nigeria to become one of the largest petrochemical, fertilizer, refining, methanol, power, E&P logistics and hydrocarbon processing hubs in the world”.

    He said: “Notore is in discussion with a number of international petrochemical, oil and gas logistics support companies as well as leading financial and strategic investors that have expressed interest and are at various levels of negotiations to invest in the project.” Okoloko said the fertilizer and petrochemicals component of the project alone is expected to attract $5 billion investments when it comes on stream in the  two years time.

    He said the new Oil and Gas Free Zone has attractions that investors will find hard to resist, including more than 559 hectares of land; a dedicated gas pipeline; 50megawatt (Mw) of embedded power plant; more than 2km of shoreline; and 7500 sqm of jetty dock.

    He explained that Notore Oil and Gas Free Zone will help to diversify the economy by frog leaping the country to become the hub of petrochemicals in Africa. He said it will add value to Nigeria’s oil and gas resources, as against mere export of crude oil and gas; increase revenue streams for government; attract more FDI and create more jobs.

    Onajite described OGFZA as a “very important enabler of industrialisation in Nigeria. “We look forward to continuing to work towards the achievement of Notore’s goal of being a world-class industrial complex.”

  • Why only viable free zones should be licensed, by Umana, others

    Why only viable free zones should be licensed, by Umana, others

    Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) Managing Director Mr. Umana Okon Umana and Lekki Worldwide Investments Limited Managing Director Dr. Tunde Sodade have underscored the need for total compliance with a strict regime of requirements for operating licence by prospective free zone developers.

    Umana and Sodade  spoke at the first session of the Nigeria Business Roundtable in Lagos at the weekend.

    They were joined by Dr. Chris Asoluka, former chairman of the OGFZA board, at the roundtable that discussed free zones as an economic system with great potential to impact development positively.

    The key stakeholders argued that there were too many unviable free trade zones in the country and blamed the situation on the business design and licensing process for free zones.

    Umana, in his intervention, said the OGFZA licensing process was based on a strict and rigorous evaluation that puts emphasis on the viability of the business design rather than on political considerations.

    He said OGFZA’s painstaking licensing process in part explains why the few free zones licensed by the agency are among the most successful in the country.

    He cited Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, licensed and regulated by OGFZA, as a model of success in free zone development.

    The OGFZA boss stressed that application for free zone status must be an economic proposition that meets the test of viability.

    Umana highlighted the economic value of free trade zones, describing them as the engines of growth in economies around the world.

    He said development experts all over the world have consistently seen the free zones in that light, which has been bolstered by statistics that show that there are more than 5,000 free zones around the world generating more than 50 million jobs.

    Umana, who led the discussion, agreed with his co-panelists that there were huge opportunities in the free zones as business clusters to empower small and medium size enterprises and further generate more employment through multiplier effects. They said the Nigerian content law is meant to drive inclusion and participation for local small businesses and individuals in the opportunities available in the free zones.

    Umana explained that the Federal Government decision to fund the establishment of six special economic zones in the country with effect from the 2017 budget underscores the value that the present administration places on the free zones as a mobiliser and magnet for investments and job creation.

    Sodade called for better business design and rigorous evaluation of applications for free zone status to guard against failure.

    Asoluka drew attention to the need for better quality service delivery in the free zones to deal with competition from rival free zones in the southern African region and other parts of the world.

    The former OGFZA chair said Onne was perfectly positioned to continue to offer leadership in free zone services in Africa.

    The roundtable, which was convened by Dr. Ogho Okiti, CEO of Time Economics and publisher of the Business Post, had three sessions of discussion on the Oil and Gas Free Zones, SMEs and the Payment System.

    Okiti said the purpose of the roundtable was to stimulate discussion on the economy with a view to impacting public policy.

  • Akwa Ibom APC: Between Umana and Udo-Edehe

    There is fear in Akwa Ibom State All Progressives Congress (APC) that the face-off between former governorship candidate of the party, Obong Umana Okon Umana, and former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator John James Akpan Udo-Edehe, may worsen the fortunes of the party in the state ahead 2019 elections, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu

    MEMBERS of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State and their supporters are expressing concern over the lingering face-off between former governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State, Obong Umana Okon Umana, and former Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator John James Akpan Udo-Edehe, even as they warn that the resultant factionalisation of the party in the state may be its undoing in the 2019 elections.

    The face-off, which preceded the 2015 governorship election, according to some insiders, has not only given the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) edge over the APC in the state but has also proved difficult to resolve as supporters of the two chieftains remain resolute that the party cannot contain them.

    Just last week, more than three people sustained injuries as supporters of the two chieftains clashed at the party’s state secretariat. It was fallout of the recent expulsion of Senator Udo-Edehe by the State Executive Council of the party.

    Root causes

    The face-off between the two factions may be traced generally to the day Umana, a former Secretary to the State Government in a Peoples Democratic Party-led State Government of Akwa Ibom, defected to APC and was projected by his supporters as the new leader of the party in the state.

    Prior to the defection of Umana, who emerged the party’s governorship candidate in the 2015 election, Udo-Edehe, a former governorship candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Akwa Ibom, was, according to his supporters, “a major financier and leader of APC in the state.”

    So, the emergence of Umana as the flagbearer of the party, according to Madam Edith Akpan, a woman leader in Eket, “naturally sparked off a dangerous personality clash in the state chapter of the party. Until our national leaders reconcile the two leaders, PDP will continue to enjoy more advantages over us here in Akwa Ibom. This struggle for supremacy between Obong Umana and Senator Udo-Edehe will, if not settled once and for all, kill APC here. If you do not know, the two politicians have large supporters and the resources to maintain them. Where do you think this will leave the party in 2019?”

    But beyond mere personality clash, The Nation investigation shows that the root cause of the disagreement between the so-called Umana and Udo-Edehe’s factions may be governorship aspiration.

    While it is alleged that Umana, who flew the APC flag in 2015 but lost to PDP’s Emmanuel Edom, has fully taken over the leadership of the party in the state and may be poised to determine who will fly the flag in 2019, Udo-Edehe’s loyalists, who still feel short-changed in 2015, said he is determined to fly the APC flag in Akwa Ibom in 2019 and does not see the possibility of Umana’s supporters and the current State Party Executive Council endorsing his candidacy.

     In fact, one of them alleged on Friday that Umana loyalists in the state APC Exco are currently working on a grand plan to convince Mr. Nsima Udo Ekere, the current Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to fly the party’s flag in 2019.  This resolve, according to the source, accounts for the determination of Udo-Edehe’s group to fight back for the soul of the party now before it becomes too late. He said the party would have done better in 2015 but for the intrigues that threw up Umana at the last minute and have therefore sworn never to allow a repeat of the development. “We cannot allow a repeat of the 2015 mistake. Some people made the necessary sacrifices at the inception and so we cannot continue to push such people aside because the super-rich want to reap where another person had sown. I think that is the primary issue under contention in the political rivalry between Senator Udo-Edehe and Obong Umana Umana’s supporters. In plain language, I think the issue today is that Udo-Edehe wants to contest as the governorship candidate of APC, a party he labored so much to build here but some money bags in collaboration with the so-called State Executive Council of APC again want to bring another candidate.”

    Senator Udo-Edehe himself confirmed his interest to contest for the governorship seat in 2019 soon after he led his supporters to invade the APC state secretariat in Uyo after his expulsion from the party by the State Executive Council.

    It would be recalled that the face-off peaked penultimate week when the state leadership of the party, under the chairmanship of Dr. Amadu Atai, announced the suspension of Udo-Edehe and later expelled him from the party for what Atai described as “anti-party activities.”

    Atai had said in a press conference that “the resolution had been agreed by the leadership of his Uyo Ward 6 and the State Exco of the party.”

    In his reaction, Udo-Edehe immediately returned to Uyo from Abuja and personally led his angry supporters in a long convoy from the Ibom International Airport to the APC Secretariat, along Atiku Abubakar Way, Uyo. On getting to the secretariat, they met the gate under lock, manned by some armed policemen, but his angry supporters forcefully gained entrance after, allegedly vandalizing part of the property. As would be expected, the encounter left some APC members with different degrees of injuries and the party further divided even as Udo-Edehe told newsmen that he had dissolved the state Executive Council and formed another one.

    Accusing Umana and members of Akwa Ibom APC State Executive Council of being behind his travails and fuming over his expulsion, Udo-Edehe said: “They are impostors who have defrauded women and other members of the party using the party structure… They have been deceiving women and members of the party by collecting money and sold forms for a purported Federal Government empowerment scheme.

    “Why should they collect money before registering people to benefit from the scheme,” adding, “Where were they when I brought the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to the State? Where were they when I joined other prominent Nigerians, including Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, to found the APC?”

    Responding to the allegations on Friday, Chief Ita Awak, the Akwa Ibom State Publicity Secretary of APC told The Nation in a telephone interview that it is wrong to say there is a face-off between Senator Udo-Edehe and Obong Umana Umana. “There is no such face-off. It is also not true that the present state Exco is at the behest of Obong Umana. Let it be noted that Umana joined APC on November 2014 and as at then; the party exco was already constituted. Since then, no one has tinkered with Akwa Ibom State Executive Council of APC. So, it is wrong to say the current Exco is at the behest of Umana.”

    Denying allegations that the state leadership was influenced by Umana to suspend and expel Udo-Edehe because the exco and loyalists of Umana want to deny him the chance of emerging the party’s governorship candidate in 2019 in preference to Ekere, the current MD of NDDC, Awak said: “The expulsion of Udo-Edehe from APC was a direct consequence of unacceptable conducts of the senator. The public utterances he made against some leaders of the party were not acceptable to the party, especially as he used to be a member of the Board of Trustee (BoT). The utterances he made and his actions were so unacceptable and unbecoming that his ward recommended his suspension. After that, he made no efforts to appeal. He was invited to defend his actions and utterances but he failed to do these and only continued his broadcast and newspaper interviews, where he tried so hard to diminish the image of APC in the state. From his actions and utterances, no one is in doubt that he set out to rubbish APC as a way of helping PDP in the state ahead 2019. This is not acceptable.

    “As for the allegation that we are working to enthrone Nsima’s candidacy, I can tell you categorically that I am not aware that the MD of NDDC is interested in 2019 governorship ticket. All that I am aware of and what I can see is that the young man is working hard to reposition NDDC. Anybody can make any speculation about 2019. I have heard on Planet 101.1 FM radio in Uyo where Udo-Edehe said his travails are the handiwork of Nsima. I think it is in his character to always blame someone else for his problems. That is unfortunate.”

    For now, the verbal crossfire and the maneuverings are still going on. What remains to be seen are how the matter would be resolved after all and the likely effect on Akwa Ibom APC before and after 2019 elections.

  • Umana: Fed Govt to establish free trade zone in Akwa Ibom

    Umana: Fed Govt to establish free trade zone in Akwa Ibom

    The Federal Government will partner the Akwa Ibom State Government to establish an Oil and Gas Free Zone in the state, it has been learnt.

    Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Mr Umana Umana, broke the news yesterday when he and management workers visited Governor Udom Emmanuel at the Government House in Uyo.

    Umana said the establishment of the trade zone would attract investments, create jobs and fast-track economic development.

    The agency chief recalled that in 2015, the investment inflow into free trade zones was about 65.5 per cent of the total investment into Nigeria in the last 10 years.

    He said the feat was acknowledged by The Financial Times of London magazine, which rated Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Free Zone at Onne, with regard to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), as the most successful in Africa.

    Umana said the first oil and gas export free zone to be established in the country was at Onne in Rivers State.

    The OGFZA chief said it was subsequently followed by the establishment of other oil and gas free zones in Warri and Lagos as public-private partnerships (PPPs) between the Federal Government and private sector operators.

    He said: “The history of the free zones is a record of collaboration between the Federal Government and other investors, such as states and private sector operators, in the development of the logistic support base for the Oil and Gas Industry.”

    Umana said the benefits derived from the free trade zones had deepened the economy and placed Nigeria on global map as a leading player in the oil and gas economy of Sub-Saharan Africa.

    According to him, OGFZs have attracted major oil companies, which are using them as hubs for business transactions covering the Gulf of Guinea up to Angola and South Africa.

    He noted that because of the numerous economic benefits of free zones, the agency invited the state government to  establish oil and gas free zones across the state.

    Umana listed Ibaka, Ibeno and Ikot Abasi as possible locations of the free trade zone.

    Under the partnership, OGFZA will use its expertise to establish a competitive oil and gas free zone with best global practices, obtain necessary permit, licences, consents and approvals for the establishment of the free zones.

    It will also attract potential investors, regulate, license investors and manage the free zone as well as advise and facilitate compliance with the requirements for the establishment of the free zones.

    The state government is expected to provide the land for the project, keep the site free from trespassers, encumbrances and adverse possession, provide offsite infrastructure, such as roads, electricity, gas pipeline, telecommunication, crude feedstock as well as make financial and other contributions for the successful execution of the project.

  • Umana, PFN shocked by collapse

    Managing Director of Nigeria Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Umana Umana, has expressed sadness at the collapse of a building belonging to Reigners Bible Church in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

    The police, last night, confirmed 27 dead in the incident.

    Several were injured and are receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

    In a telephone interview with our reporter, Umana said he received news of the collpase with shock.

    He said: “I received news of the accident with shock. It is sad and tragic. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of victims, even as I confirm my condolences to the state government and the people of the state.”

    Also, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has urged its churches to hold special prayers for Reigners Bible Church.

    PFN’s State Chairman Dr. Sylvanus Ukafia gave the directive in a statement yesterday in Uyo, the state capital.

    The statement reads: “The Pentecostal community shares the pain of Reigners Bible Church at the sad event of the collapse of its building during the Bishopric Ordination of its presiding pastor, Bishop-Elect Akan Weeks, and stand with them in prayers and support.

    “The PFN urges all Pentecostal churches to hold special prayers for the church in their services on December 11.

    “Furthermore, the PFN urges all churches to take special offerings for the medical assistance of those injured and send same to the Reigners’ Bible Church. Church members who can are also urged to donate blood, where necessary, to those in hospital and make other donations as may be required in the course of treatment of those injured.

    “We assure Reigners Bible Church that they are in our thoughts and prayers. We pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit and may this cloudy period give way to a new dawn of hope for the church.”

  • Umana seeks Malaysia’s backing for oil & gas FZs

    Umana seeks Malaysia’s backing for oil & gas FZs

    Nigeria’s oil and gas free zones should be the first ports of call for Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA) Managing Director Mr. Umana Okon Umana said on Friday.

    He said the authority has mouth-watering incentives and benefits to investors, who set up businesses in the free zones.

    Umana spoke when he visited the Malaysian High Commissioner, Lim Juay Jim, in Abuja to seek his support for the free zones.

    According to him, “the benefits for investors include zero tax from federal, state and local tax authorities; zero levies and rates (that is no corporate tax, withholding tax, value added tax and capital gain tax); 100 per cent foreign ownership; 100 per cent repatriation of profit and dividends; 100 per cent repatriation of foreign capital investment.”

    He said other benefits to the investor include streamlined documentation that makes for fast-tracking of all business transactions.

    Umana explained to High Commissioner Jim that there were functioning and vibrant oil and gas free zones in Onne, Rivers State; Warri in Delta State and Apapa in Lagos.

    He added that the OGFZA was developing additional oil and gas free zones in Brass, Bayelsa State; Ikpokiri, which is contiguous with Onne in Rivers State and Ibaka in Akwa Ibom State.

    He told the High Commissioner that the new oil and gas free zones being developed in Brass, Ibaka and Ikpokiri, including the developed ones in Onne, Warri and Lagos, presented viable and irresistible opportunities for investors to take advantage of and become part of the profitable history of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

    He said there were opportunities for the development of infrastructure such as roads and power plants to provide dedicated electric power for the oil and gas free trade hubs.

    Umana explained that attractive opportunities for downstream industries like refineries, manufacturing of pipes for the oil and gas sector and other related industrial goods as well as infrastructure existed for investors in the free zones.

    He added that the oil and gas authority was willing to partner with any investors using the public-private partnership (PPP) model to achieve its mandate and business plan.

    He said the success recorded in the Onne free zone derived from the PPP business model.

    High Commissioner Jim expressed joy at the visit and the presentation made by the chief executive of the OGFZA, promising to visit the OGFZA headquarters with a delegation of Malaysian investors to explore investment opportunities in keeping with the strong historical and economic ties between Nigeria and Malaysia.

    The envoy explained that Malaysia has for long seen Nigeria as the economic hub of Africa, explaining that it was Nigeria’s economic weight that made Malaysia to relocate its Africa trade mission from Nairobi to Lagos.

    He said though Nigeria was at present going through a recession, Malaysia expects the country to bounce back soon.

    Umana was accompanied on the visit by the head of trade and investment at OGFZA, Adamu Kontagora; head of legal department and company secretary, Abduwasiu Sule and Maurice Etim, Chairman of Aurum Energy Maritime and Construction Limited.