Civil servants’ union faults proposed sale of Calabar, Kano free zones

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCN) has faulted what it terms “desperate moves to sell Calabar and Kano free trade zones, and transfer the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) functions to NSEZCO, a private firm. Addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, the union`s Head of Secretariat, Comrade Isaac Ojemahonke,  accused  the  […]

The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCN) has faulted what it terms “desperate moves to sell Calabar and Kano free trade zones, and transfer the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) functions to NSEZCO, a private firm.

Addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, the union`s Head of Secretariat, Comrade Isaac Ojemahonke,  accused  the  minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enyinna, of  allegedly usurping the functions and duties of the NEPZA, using a private company called Nigeria Special Economic Zones Company Ltd (NSEZCO).

He said the union had written a petition dated 7th August 2018, to President Muhammadu Buhari, after an earlier letter dated 14th June 2018, to the minister seeking clarification on the planned sale of Calabar and Kano Free Trade Zones but without getting acknowledgement and response from the minister.

He said, “The association’s petition to Mr. President was for him to be in the picture of what the minister and his co-travelers are planning, which include to mislead Mr. President and other members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) into believing that NSEZCO is a public company, hence the inclusion of the word ‘Nigeria’ in the company’s name during its registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).”

Isaac alleged that “after being queried by Mr. President as a result of the association’s petition, the minister wanted to hold a town hall meeting with NEPZA staff in order to give an impression of having taken the workers’ view into consideration,” adding that  at the town hall meeting, the minister and his entourage were booed.’’

He  said that  the leadership of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN)  investigations revealed that the entire ministry was  cut-off  from the project.

He said, “The establishment of a company to administer free trade zones and expending public funds, which were set aside for development and promotion of free trade zones in Nigeria, on such a company would amount to duplication of functions as NEPZA is already established by law to perform such functions.

“It is very disturbing, that after presidential intervention in this NSEZCO matter, the minister could still go ahead to request the minister of Finance to transfer the funds which were appropriated in 2017 for project MINE to NSEZCO. This is fraudulent.”