The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has expressed optimism that the Abuja Industrial Park will create 40,000 direct jobs when it is completed fully.
The minister gave the assurance on Wednesday when he inspected the facility in Idu area of Abuja.
After he had been conducted around the Park by the Managing Director of Zeberced Group, Adil Again Kurt, the lead company in charge of the project, Wike expressed joy that the Park had the potentialities to revolutionise the economy of the FCT and the country.
Wike assured that he would facilitate the dualisation of the single lane of the road into the Park.
He also disclosed that the Park had been given a free trade zone status to facilitate companies into the Park for production.
“When fully operational, the Park shall create 40,000 direct employments. This is mind-boggling This is the first time I have come to this Abuja Industrial Park,” Wike said.
“One of the things we considered, if you see the road we came in from, it is a single lane. Following what is going on here, the government has offered to dualise the road,” he added.
It’s about 8 to 10 km. It’s like a tax holiday to enable them to dualise the road. This will benefit us tremendously,” Wike stressed.
“This is what we talk about growing the economy. It’s about creating employment for the youth.
While speaking further on the prospects of the Park, the minister said: “Many companies will like to come here to enjoy the benefits of the free trade zone. There will be regular electricity which is what encourages production in industries.”
On growing the economy, Wike said: “Having gone round, I can attest to the fact that this is what we need to grow the economy. No government can employ all the unemployed youths. We will ensure that we make the approval for the road dualisation to fast track the dualisation.
“You can imagine how the whole of this area will be when the whole Idu area will be developed in three to four year’s time.
He (the MD of Zeberced Group) has assured me that in 29 months time this project will be completed. The whole of this place will be opened up. No city can develop without an industrial park. From what I see this is a wonder.”
Wike also assured that the FCT was safe for residents and businesses.
He urged other companies to emulate Zeberced Group and come into the park for production.
“If they don’t have confidence in our security, no company will put millions of Dollars in investment.”
Earlier, the Managing Director, Zeberced Group, Adil Again Kurt said the Park sits on 250 hectares of land which 208 workshops for medium and small-scale businesses would occupy, while the other space will accommodate 200 factories.
He said his company was providing infrastructure for the companies that will come in.
The items in the park include concrete slabs, manhole concrete, plastic materials, roofing sheets, pipes as well as agro and pharmaceutical products that are of international quality.
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