Ogun-Guangdong FTZ offers 4,250 jobs -MD

More jobs for Nigerians, as the managing director, Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone, Igbesa, Ogun State, Dr. Jason Han, on Thursday said that 16 industries, fully operational in the zone, had offered 4,250 jobs to Nigerians. He said this when the assistant-comptroller general of customs and zonal coordinator, Lagos, Victor Gbemudu, visited the zone. Lagos Zone consists of Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti.

Han, who said the zone became operational four years ago, noted that the zone had experienced steady growth. He said, “The government approved 100 square kilometres of land, we started with 2.5 square kilometres. He was quoted saying, “At the moment, many multi-national companies have registered with us, out of which 16 are in full operation; eight are under construction, while the remaining are undergoing documentation. Total direct employment offered to Nigerians is around 4,250, an improvement over 300 before 2013.”

The Assistant-Comptroller general of customs and zonal Coordinator, Gbemudu, who commended the Chinese investors for contributing to the development of the country through their Direct Foreign Investment, added that the revenue generated from the zone last year was N161.4m, which was an improvement over that of N75.4m in the previous year. He said, “Ogun-Quangdong Free Trade zone has continued to contribute to the development of the country’s economy. These enterprises pay their duties and I am happy that Nigerians are also employed to work in these companies.”

Gbemudu said the synergy among the security agencies in the zone should continue. Earlier in his speech, Deputy-Comptroller of Customs, Benjamin Binga, noted that the zone was one of the fastest growing free trade zones in the country, despite some teething challenges it was facing.

We can only hope that these jobs being created by Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone could be emulated by other firms in Nigeria.

Source: Adapted from SAMUEL AWOYINFA's article, Punch Newspaper