By Anthony Otaru, Abuja
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, has given the assurance that the new Lekki Textile and Garment Special Economic Zonem project located in the Eyin-Osa area of Epe, Lagos State is expected to generate 5,000 direct and over 20,000 indirect jobs when operational.
Ogunyemi gave assurance in remarks over the weekend while disbursing cash compensation to the seven Eyin-Osa families that contributed the 240.09 Acres of land for the Federal government project in Lagos.
The NEPZA Chief Executive Officer, represented by the Director of Zonal Operations, Mrs Chika Ibekwe, said that the community would be continually regenerated, adding that the benefits that would accrue from the gestures would spill over to several generations.
The beneficiaries included the families of Olayinka Salami, Aderenle village, Muhammed Balogun, Bashorun Seidu, Iyanda, Matanmi Mobolaji, and the Agara Onileyan, respectively.
“The space will generate 5000 direct and over 20,000 indirect jobs for the country, just as it will serve the export markets of the South-West region.
“There are many benefits to gain from the SEZ, including employment generation, especially to the local community, the opportunity for backward linkage, improvement in infrastructure network around the project, and others too numerous to mention now,” he said.
The NEPZA boss further said the development aligned with the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) goals and objectives.
However, he explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s current administration was interested in attracting foreign direct investments (FDIs) through the Free Trade Zone Scheme and in the development of all the host communities.
“This exercise is to commence the application of the Authority’s new concept of Community Social Regeneration to open a new chapter of cooperation and mutual understanding to foster unhindered progress of the free trade operations across the country.
“NEPZA has since re-aligned its mandate with the administration’s economic policy to deliver the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President. NEPZA will not shy away from leading the country toward economic growth.
“The Lekki Textile and Garments SEZ project is already attracting investment interest to this remote area of Lagos,” Ogunyemi said.
According to him, the Federal government has also taken steps to replicate the economic scheme across the six geopolitical zones, adding that more states should take advantage of the scheme’s speedy development potential.
He noted that the Lekki Textiles and Garment SEZ would also serve as hubs for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Agro-industries, world-class sports, and community development centres.
For his part, the President of the Eyin-Osa United Kingdom Development Association (EUKDA), Alhaji Muftau Shittu, the umbrella association for the host community, said that their forefathers had occupied the area for over 500 years.
He said that at the beginning, the enclaves and villages that constituted the community had lived in peace, practicing economic activities, especially farming, hunting, fishing, brewing hot drinks, and timber lumbering.
Shittu, however, revealed that trouble started in mid-year 2003 when groups of land grabbers started claiming ownership of Eyin-Osa lands from the original and rightful owners.
According to him, in May 2008, the lands were expropriated to the Lekki Free Trade Zone without due diligence, and the journey for adequate compensation with the Lagos State Government began.
“We are delighted today for this humane approach of the federal government through NEPZA. The community can only imagine these good gestures as most of the earliest promises were not kept. We now have NEPZA management and government serious about regenerating the Eyin-Osa land.
“We are happy to cede the total of 240.09 acres to NEPZA for the economic emancipation of our land. We pray that this cooperation and the steps to regenerate our people become permanent.”
