) The Managing Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA), Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, has urged new staff members to align their thinking with the agency’s vision, mission and mandate for sustainable high productivity.
Adesugba gave the advice while declaring open a four-day induction and training programme organised for new employees of NEPZA in Abuja, according to a statement by Mr Martins Odeh, Head, Corporate Communications, NEPZA, on Tuesday.
The programme was aimed at properly indoctrinating the 270 persons employed by NEPZA in July 2019.
Adesugba said that the programme would expose the fresh members of staff to the operations of Free Trade Zone (FTZ) scheme in accordance with global standard.
“Some of the deliverables to be considered include: `’Introduction to the rudiments of Free Zone Scheme’’, `’Major Trends in Free Zones Development’’ and `’Rationale for Free Trade Zone Development,” he said.
He said the new employees would also be exposed to “Modeling Free Trade Zone with Business Opportunities”, “X-ray the Law Establishing Free Trade Zones In Nigeria” and “Investors Services and Investment Promotion’’.
Adesugba listed other areas as “ICT in the Free Trade Zone Ecosystem’’, “Service Delivery Policy in Public Service’’, “Communication Process’’ as well as “Programme and Project Cycle’’.
The managing director said it was incumbent on the authority to build the capacity of the new employees for effective management of tasks.
Adesugba said that the staff should apply their faculties to learn, retain and display expertise in free zone matters.
He said that the authority would not be patient with any worker who displayed indolence and worked to destroy the system instead of helping to build it.
“This is a frontline agency that government relies on for economic growth and industrialisation. So, for you to be relevant here, you must continually build your skills and knowledge on how to operate on this turf.
“You will be confronted with all manner of challenges as you prospect investors, nurture and manage them in line with NEPZA Act.
“You will also have to contend with some sister agencies who may want to trespass the zones and so on. Your responsibility, therefore, is to educate and sensitise them on the free zone concept.
“The knowledge you will obtain from this laudable training and induction will come handy someday,’’Adesugba said.
He said he was committed to repositioning the authority for effective performance, and nothing less than that should be tolerated.
The exercise is also billed to also take place in Lagos, Calabar and Kano respectively.
