The Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone (FTZ) has generated over $300million foreign direct investment (FDI) and a total of 6, 000 direct and indirect jobs in the last 15 years.
The governing board of Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone made this revelation recently during the formal unveiling of the new helmsman.
Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone (FTZ) is an outcome of the commercial partnership between China’s Guangdong province and Ogun state, southwestern Nigeria.
According to the FTZ board, it has boosted the economy of the state and Nigeria in the last 15 years with over $300m foreign investments in the industrial zone and created over 6000 direct and indirect jobs from the local environment.
The new governing board chairman of the FTZ, Hadjia (Dr.) Hafsat Oduwole Tafawa Balewa, assured that her tenure will improve upon the gains the facility had so far garnered to the stakeholders through quality policy formulation and implementation.
Dr. Hafsat Tafawa-Balewa who served as a member when Gboyega Nosiru Isiaka, was the board chairman of the Free Trade Zone, said the partnership between China and Ogun State, Nigeria will boost the socioeconomic development and growth of the host community and the state.
She gave the assurance at the company’s conference room while speaking on the theme “Sustainability, stability and prosperity” of the FTZ locale in Igbesa area of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.
She promised to engage more women in its operation, saying women are vital for societal development and key economic sectors while also expressing the readiness of the FTZ to work in harmony with the Igbesa community leaders in executing its planned corporate social responsibility.
“I am going to make sure we do a lot with the women. So far, so good, nothing like that is on ground but, taking over as a new chairman is one of the projects I am going to embark on. That’s why I am going to take women along.
“Once you take on building women, it’s like building a nation. This is one of the first projects I will embark on; that’s carrying women along,” she said.