C’River To Make Free Trade Zone Viable

The Government of Cross River State has indicated its willingness to help in the expansion and attraction of businesses into the Calabar Free Trade Zone, the General Manager of the Calabar Free Trade Zone, Alhaji Sadiq Kassim, has said.

According to him, there  is now better rapport and understanding between the zone and the State government unlike when there was ‘mutual suspicion.’

Speaking to journalists in Calabar Alhaji Kassim said that Governor Liyel Imoke had promised that his government would be ready to give more lands to the zone to enable it expand further as more international investors would be coming into the state to invest in the zone and other parts of the state.

“This promise has excited many international investors that have been discussing with us but land seemed to pose a problem”, he said.

The general manager disclosed that an American electricity giant, General Electricity had already concluded arrangements with the zone and the state government to inaugurate its power project early next year.

Kassim said General Electric would also arrive with highly skilled and well versed expatriate to kick start the power project in the state and would employ at least 300 Nigerians in the first instance.

“Governor Imoke had promised that the state government would help GE to erect structures for its proposed training institutions in the state where Nigerians and other nationals would be trained in all aspects of electricity engineering and power installation, and to give more lands to expand the zone even more”, Kassim said.

The CFTZ boss also said that Imoke also received another high powered business delegation from the state of Maryland in the United States of America that visited the Zone penultimate week with the aim of putting up their structures.

Kassim expressed delight that more investors were not only thinking of erecting structures but were emphasizing on training and transferring technical know-how to Nigerians.

“We have a company now in the zone, Golden Giant, which has a section for garment manufacturing. When they finished installing their machines, they shall launch their training programme for Nigerian youths not presently skilled.

“Some of these investors have apprenticeship programmes to attract unemployed, unskilled Nigerians youths. The zone encourages them to equally emphasize on post-training issues by providing work tools like sewing machines, etc, to equip them in life,” he said.