Okwe Obi, Abuja
Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), has denied scaring away potential investors or having any depute with them – either in respect of the Egina FPSO or EGINA or illegal payments.
While reacting to a newspaper publication (not TheSun), Head, Corporate Communications, NEPZA, Simon Imobo-Tswam, in a statement yesterday, said the story had no element of truth as it was sponsored to tarnished the image of the agency.
He further explained that “it is true that N14.37 billion of NEPZA’s funds for capital projects were transferred to a private company, Nigeria Special Economic Zones Company (NSEZCO), under the immediate-past Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.
“However, since Mr. Bitrus Dawuk took over as NEPZA’s Acting Managing Director, he has been liaising and cooperating with the current Minister, Niyi Adebayo, to resolve the matter in the best interest of the country.
“The issue of scaring away investors is another pathetic attempt at blackmailing NEPZA, and it follows an observed pattern in the news-media.”
Imobo-Tswam, noted that “NEPZA ordinarily would not react to a mischief-laden write-up like this as is our practice. But like all demolition jobs, this publication is not only false, but it also drips with blackmail. And not to counter it will give credence to the opinion, and joy to the sponsors.”
