The Joint Projects Monitoring Committee, which comprised of officials from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has expressed satisfaction over the level of progress so far recorded on the 112 approved projects for the authority.

The projects, captured under the NEPZA Tender Board of 2017-2021, direct Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval and the Ministerial Tender Board of Capital Projects are located at Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTZ), Kano Free Trade Zones (KFTZ) and the newly approved Lagos and Kwara Special Economic Zones respectively.

Out of the 112 ongoing projects, a total of 76 have been completed with the CFTZ accounting for 28; KFTZ 38; Lekki SEZ 5; and Ilorin SEZ 5 while others are at different levels of completion.

Some of the projects include Erosion Control Works & Rehabilitation of Collapsed Perimeter Fence at CFTZ; Construction of Emergency Exit Gates & Access Road to the Jetties at CFTZ; Re-Asphalting of the Exiting Dual Carriageway Road Network at CTFZ; Consulting Services for Masterplan & Architectural Design at Kwara SEZ; Consulting Services for Engineering & Infrastructure Design at Kwara SEZ; Quantity Surveying for Feasibility Studies at Kwara SEZ; and the Development of initial 5MW Power Plant & Electrical Reticulation within the Ilorin SEZ.

Speaking at the end of the tour in Calabar, NEPZA's Director of Monitoring & Compliance, Hajia Zainab Aliyu, expressed satisfaction with the level of projects execution across the four zones, adding that the federal government had always ensured value-for-money in the execution of its contracts.

She said that the approval for the projects' inspection tours indicated government priority toward the adequate provision of infrastructure in the free trade zones and Prof. Adesoji Adesugba's led management's relentless commitment to the interpretation of President Muhammadu Buhari's policy for a profitable and competitive zone scheme.

Aliyu, in a statement issued by NEPZA spokesman, Mr. Martins Odeh, said, “As part of the statutory responsibility of NEPZA as provided in Section 4 of the Authority's Act 63 of 1992 is the provision that ensures that all zones provide some of the basic infrastructures. We are also obliged to constantly monitor and evaluate both new and old infrastructure.

“The reasons for these monitoring and evaluation exercises were to ensure the right quality of materials were used and the right quality of jobs are done, just as we also checked the percentage of work done in line with the amount assigned for the project.

“To this end, the Managing Director, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba decided to set up this committee to access all the projects that have been earmarked from the period he assumed leadership of the authority.”

However, Director, of Procurement, Mr. Martins Odeomenem, who led the team members from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, described NEPZA as a serious agency of government that had always displayed uprightness in the conduct of its affairs.