AKSG Constitutes Technical Committee On Liberty Oil, Gas Free Zone

By Bassey Nkponam
UYO
The Akwa Ibom government has constituted a one-stop technical committee of the state government, to liaise with the management of Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, OGFZA, on behalf of the state government towards the realisation of the Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone in the State.
The committee, headed by the secretary to the state government, Prince Enobong Uwah, as chairman, has the managing director of Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation, AKICORP, Pastor Imo-Abasi Jacob, commissioner for lands and town planning, Captain Iniobong Ekong (rtd), commissioner for trade and investment, Mr John Etim, the attorney general and commissioner for Justice, Mr Uko Udom SAN, and the commissioner for economic development, Mr Emem Bob, as members.
Other members are the state surveyor general, Mrs Emem Isang, commissioner for internal security and waterways, General Koko Essien, (rtd), senior special assistant to the governor on special duties,  Mr Morgan Ekanem Esq, as well as the senior special assistant to the governor on information and communications technology, ICT, Dr Frank Ekpenyong.
The Akwa Ibom governor, Pastor Umo Eno, who constituted the committee,recently, during a courtesy call on him by the new management of the OGFZA, led by the managing director and chief executive officer, Bamanga Usman Jada, at Government House, Uyo, said the committee will fast track on all deliverables as a one-stop-shop for investments related matters in the state.
Eno was confident that with the composition and caliber of members, the committee will deliver on the state’s Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone project, in view of the multiplier economic benefits it holds for the people of the state, including foreign direct investments and job creation.
He assured of optimum cooperation of the state government, under his watch, with the new management of OGFZA to expedite the realisation of the Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone in the state.
The governor welcomed the team to the State and lauded the consistency by the agency, saying the state government was expecting fruitful investments as the partnership deepens.
The managing director and chief executive officer of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Jada, who listed the mandate of the agency, explained that OGFZA was the regulatory body of the federal government with the responsibility of developing and managing investments within the nation’s Oil and Gas Free Zones, stressing that Akwa Ibom, with its contribution of over 31 per cent of the nation’s oil output, remains critical to national development.
He noted that investment in the Akwa Ibom Oil and Gas Free Zone, given the huge retirement promises, situates within President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s governance goals of spreading development across the nation and acceleration of economic growth through industrialization and commended Eno for his passion towards development.
According to Jada, with investors queueing for business in Akwa Ibom’s Oil and Gas Free Zone, the State government stands to benefit maximally within the next few years.