NEPZA Empowerment: How ROT Sidetracked Training Meant for Agboyi II, Ikosi-Isheri. 

Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), the federal government agency which establishes, licenses, regulates and operate highly efficient Free Zones by providing a highly competitive incentives scheme, excellent support facilities and service for the purpose of creating an enabling environment for export manufacturing and other commercial activities.

NEPZA, undertook a training and empowerment for youths and women, in Kosofe, between the 24th and 26th of March, 2020. The organization also disbursed a sum of N50,000 start-up capital for participants who attended the training which held at the Ojota townhall, Kosofe local government.

Many had thought the training was facilitated by Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, the member representing Kosofe local government at the House of Representatives, since event was branded with his banners and other political publicity materials, rumour mongers have an opposing view. On completion of training, the House of Representatives member, ROT as popularly called, published an advertorial on a community news website. Seeing the broadcast, some members of the Kosofe community who range from the 3 councils have made a mockery of the activities of the legislator, they noted that taking glory for a project he had no impact whatsoever in is petty, some further stated that the exercise was a 100% NEPZA project, though, facilitated by the speaker of the house of representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

The turnout of events after the communique was released, has propelled us to switch to our fact-finding mode. Investigation carried out by Kosofe Inside-Out, unveiled that on January 14, 2020, the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), published a communique on expression of interests and submission of bids for capital projects, which are to be executed across the nation. Projects which  include; rehabilitation of roads, supply of laptop computers, supply of solar panels, training and empowerment of youths and women on trade/export processing and investment, among others.

Our investigation further revealed that the NEPZA training was scheduled to take place in other parts of Lagos, a few wards of Imota in Ikorodu, some wards in Iganmu, Gaskiya and Apapa 1,2 and 3. No schedule or category was allotted to a political office holder, though, the turn-out of event proved otherwise.

Our aim was that Hon Agunsoye might have shown interest in the NEPZA empowerment and training, but sources close to the lawmaker hinted that it was the speaker of the house of reps, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, who approached NEPZA through his political cronies, thereby side-tracking the project from the original bidders to his associates in the house of reps, of which Hon Agunsoye is a bonafide member.

Meanwhile, the bidders who have shown interest and had gone through the rigour of fulfilling all documentations and due processes, are hoping to undertake the empowerment and training, have gone ahead to make deposit for their proposed venue, Tamroyal hall, Alapere, before it was arrogated by ROT. Even after, the lawmaker should have invited the bidders, who doubled as his constituents to a negotiation table, in order to calm their disgruntlements. It only showed that the lawmaker isn’t sensitive to this, considering the fact that this act could be a hindrance to his numbers in the no distant future.