Abduraheem stated this when he led students of Junior Division Course 7 of the Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada in Abuja on a study tour tagged ‘ Effective Collaborative Effect of NCS and other Relevant Stakeholders towards Enhanced National Security,’ to LADOL Free Zone.
Abduraheem said his 18-member team is on a research mission regarding the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service and its agencies.
“It was a warm reception, a lot of enlightening, lectures and presentations were given and all our questions had been answered.
I am sure the students will find all the information given beneficial to their research work and of course, their careers,” he said.
Stating that LADOL’S success is based on its operating plans, he said, LADOL needs to do more so that more people would know who they are.
Hamisu Musa Ahmed, a senior representative of Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA), explained that NEPZA promotes and facilitates local and international investment in Nigeria, noting that the agency enjoys seamless and healthy relationship with other relevant government agencies such as Customs and Immigration.
He also confirmed that LADOL Free Zone is compliant and works well with NEPZA.
Vivian Sheriff Ighomaro, assistant manager, NEPZA at LADOL Free Zone, who made a presentation to the students, said Free Zones in Nigeria are the modality nations are using today to drive rapid economic growth.
“A Free Trade Zone is an industrial area within a geographical location of a country for fiscal exceptions and other activities. Commercial export activities are encouraged in that area and it is a country within a country. Customs activities in the Free Zones are based on NEPZA Law,” she said.
On the activities of NEPZA, Ighomaro described it as a Federal Government agency that was established by Act 63 of 1992, with the responsibility to license, promote, and establish Free Trade Zones across Nigeria.
Amy Jadesimi, managing director of LADOL, said the success of LADOL and its ability to strategically support a wide range of industries is due to the NEPZA Free Zone platform.
“Since the Zone was designated in 2006, NEPZA has provided an enabling environment, which we understand the Federal Government is now replicating across the country. LADOL operates within the ambit of established rules and regulations of NEPZA, which also brings other agencies into the Free Zone, including Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Ports Authority and Nigeria Immigration Service and other relevant government agencies,” she said.
According to her, Free Zones are gazetted under the rules created and approved by NEPZA.
“There is a very strict framework in place and the Free Zone Management Company is responsible for ensuring that NEPZA’S rules and regulations are adhered to in the Zone. There is also an office in each Zone where the Management Company reports to NEPZA,” she said.
Amy added that as part of the regulations, all of the zone enterprises and the management company are restricted from having direct contact with any government agency and must go through NEPZA.
SOURCE:BUSINESS DAY
