Oil, gas free zone implementation committee inaugurated in A/Ibom

Akwa Ibom State government has set up a six-member joint committee on the implementation of Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone.

The committee has commissioner for investment, commerce and industry, Eno Akpan; chairman, technical committee on Foreign Direct Investment, Gabriel Ukpe, and senior special assistant to the governor on technical matters and due process, Uffot Ebong as member.

The Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone is represented by the head of legal services, Sule wasiu; head of operations, Adekunle Ajayi, and head of trade and investment, Adamu Kontagara.

The committee was established following a meeting between the managing director of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Umanah Okon Umanah, and Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel, at Government House, Uyo, the state capital.

Governor Udom, who congratulated Umanah on his appointment, commended him for commencing the tour of the zone from Akwa Ibom, adding that the project would boost the industrialisation agenda of his administration by creating employment and generating wealth for the people.

“Akwa Ibom being one of the major producers of oil deserves to be a beneficiary of the project,” the governor said, adding that his administration would provide the necessary logistics that would facilitate the realisation of the project.

In his remark, Umanah said the meeting was to intimate the governor on the establishment of the Free Trade Zone in the state, pointing out that it would attract investment, create jobs and fast-track economic development in the state.

He condoled with the government and people of the state on the December 10 Reigners’ Bible Church building collapse, and prayed God to grant the bereaved families the fortitude to bear the loss.