OGFZA to prioritise ease-of-doing business in oil and gas free zones

The managing director of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Mr Umana Okon Umana has said that the investment promotion agency would adopt as one of its key priorities the federal government policy of promoting ease-of-doing business to boost economic activities in the country.

Addressing staff of the OGFZA in Onne, Port-Harcourt during his maiden staff meeting, Umana advised the workers to put in their best as professionals and bear in mind at all time that they are ambassadors of Nigeria to the foreign investors who do business in the free zones.

He said his management was in the process of repositioning the OGFZA for visibility both within the country and abroad. He explained that one of the ways of making sure that OGFZA gains national prominence is “to tell our story as the largest oil and gas free trade zone in Africa,” in addition to “effectively playing our role in the growth and development of the nation.” He said the OGFZA would soon launch a roadmap that will chart the way forward for the oil and gas free zones in the next four years.

Umana promised to end the isolation of the agency by networking with coordinate agencies of government for synergy and full benefits of a grade A parastatal of the federal government.

“We will pursue initiatives that will take this place to a new level,” Umana said. “We want Nigeria and the world to take note of us for good reasons. We need to be successful.”

Umana called for aggressive approach to IGR to boost revenue for the agency.

He hinted at plans to fully develop and put to use the oil and gas free zones in Ikpokiri, Brass and Ibaka, using the PPP model.

He pledged to address challenges facing the agency in a holistic manner, including staff welfare and making the overall environment of the Authority conducive for productive work. He advised workers in the organisation to be upright in keeping with the anti-corruption policy of government.