President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Alhaji Adamu Fanda, a former member of the House of Representative from Kano State, as Chairman of the Board of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA).
The appointment, which was conveyed in a memo with file number FMIT/LEG/1426/17 dated October 6, 2020, and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, that Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarso, stated that the appointment of Fanda takes effect from September 26, 2020.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by Mr. Martins Odeh, the Head, Corporate Communications of NEPZA, Fanda’s appointment was the sequel to a July 23 letter by the ministry through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to President Buhari for the replacement of Mr. Segun Oni who formerly held the position.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of NEPZA, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba has thanked the president for the prompt manner in which the new Chairman was appointed, adding that the appointment has given the NEPZA team the privilege of a complete team.
Adesugba said the appointment of the new Chairman was indicative of Buhari’s commitment to ensuring that NEPZA got a new lease of life, adding that Fanda has the requisite exposure, experience and credentials to help in the revitalization process of the agency.
In his words, “I am grateful to President Muhammadu Buhari for the appointment of Alhaji Adamu Abdu Fanda as NEPZA board chairman. This shows the president’s commitment toward ensuring that the Authority is not hindered in any way while performing its task of growing the economy through free trade zone development.
We are elated with this development as Fanda’s coming has made our team complete. The management and staff of the Authority would not hesitate to team up with our new Chairman to fast track the impact of free trade zone scheme on the country’s economy.”
He also expressed delight over the many interventions by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo to stabilize NEPZA, adding that the appointment of a new board chairman was geared towards giving the agency a fully operational status.
