The Nigerian Immigration Service ( NIS) has commended the management of the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL) Free Trade Zone for promoting transfer of technology from foreigners to Nigerians.
Emmanuel Arogundade, new comptroller of Immigration Service, Lagos seaport and marine command, who recently visited LADOL Free Zone on familiarisation tour, said LADOL has promoted indigenisation policy by engaging more Nigerians to work in the zone.
“The transfer of technology, which the Federal Government is interested in, is being complied with 100 percent at LADOL Free Zone. This is the essence of transfer of technology, which is what Immigration supposed to monitor. We want a situation where there would be complete transfer of technology from foreigners to Nigerians. I want to salute the visionary leader for putting up a facility such as LADOL even as he called on other Nigerian investors to invest in projects that can create employment for Nigerians,” Arogundade said.
On the zone’s compliance with the expatriate quota, the comptroller said LADOL has always been very upright and up to date. “We have never found LADOL wanting and in the management return, they have always been up to date. They submit their returns on time and always very compliance with expatriate quota.”
He however assured that Nigerian Immigration has always been ready to support anything that would bring economic development and growth, which is one of the main thrust of this administration, assuring that Nigerian Immigration is ready to partner with LADOL and any other establishment that is conforms to government policy.
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“LADOL has already become part of the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda. Going round the Free Zone has shown that LADOL is a force to reckon with in terms of industrialisation,” Arogundade explained.
He said Nigeria is blessed with human and material resources but the problem had always been how to manage the resources. “It is not an exaggeration to say that if we are able to manage the resources of this country very well, no Nigerian will suffer and one can envisage the number of families this place provides for.”
He advised the management of LADOL Free Zone to put more effort into marketing the image of the zone in the eyes of the public so that more Nigerians would become aware of the existence of such a viable economic Free Zone located incountry, and not in US or Britain.
On her part, Amy Jadesimi, managing director of LADOL, described the visit as a very significant, saying that running of the Free Zone depends on other sister agencies, and Nigerian Immigration has been essential for LADOL remaining operational throughout 2020.
According to her, Nigerian Immigration has worked side-by-side with LADOL throughout the year, and has shown high degree of professionalism.
“We are very pleased and honoured that the comptroller visited us today because it reinforces the good relationship we both have. We wi l l be working very closely with them going forward especially with LADOL’S Training School coming up. We need to make sure that technology transfer happens at a much faster rate and at a much higher level. So, working sideby-side with them would ensure that our technology and training plans are actualised,” Jadesimi said.
Beri Abdul, coordinator of the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) at LADOL, said he was proud of LADOL, a 100 percent indigenous facility, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria.
While stating that the visit has shown that the comptroller was concerned for the progress of Nigeria, Abdul however solicited for the support of Nigerian Immigration in helping the Free Zone achieve its objectives.
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