Senate panel worried about power failure at Calabar duty-free zone

The Senate Committee on Trade and Investment, has expressed concerned over lack of power supply at the Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTC) , an economic zone where goods are landed, manufactured or reconfigured, in Cross River State.

The Chairman, Senator Fatimart Raji-Rasaki, who led the committee on a visit to the free zone in Calabar, said that the aim of the visit was to ensure that the Federal Government’s investment in the Zone meets the desired objectives and goals.

Senator Raji-Rasaki, charged the management of the zone to keep the pledge by ensuring an alternative power source to the Zone as soon as possible.

The Committee assured the management of their support in working for the needs of the investors in the zone.The General Manager Business Development Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) Terhembe Nongo, assured the Committee and stakeholders in the zone that the challenge of electricity power supply which has hampered the operations of some investors has been captured in the 2017 budget and would soon be addressed.

He said 33 companies are operating in the Zone and a new independent power supply source is being worked on as the old one was no longer reliable.

While acknowledging the Senate committee, Nongo, said they would continue to interface on issues that concern trade and investment in order to provide whatever information needed for the mutual benefit of the stakeholders.