The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has hailed the management of the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistic Base (LADOL) Free Trade Zone for promoting transfer of technology from foreigners to Nigerians.
The new comptroller of Immigration Service, Lagos Seaport and Marine Command, Mr. Emmanuel Arogundade who stated this when he visited LADOL Free Zone on familiarisation tour, said LADOL has promoted indigenisation policy by engaging more Nigerians to work in the zone.
His words: “The transfer of technology, which the Federal Government is interested in, is being complied with 100 percent at LADOL Free Zone. This is the essence of transfer technology which is what immigration supposed to monitor.
“We want a situation where there would be complete transfer of technology from foreigner to Nigerians. I want to salute the visionary leader for putting up a facility such as LADOL even as he called on other Nigerian investors to invest in projects that can create employment for Nigerians”.
On the zone’s compliance with expatriate quota, Arogundade said LADOL has always been very upright and up to date.
“We have never found LADOL wanting and in the management return, they have always been up to date. They submit their returns on time and always very compliance with expatriate quota”, he added.
He assured that NIS has always been ready to support anything that would bring economic development and growth which is one of the main thrust of this administration.
He expressed the readiness of NIS to partner with LADOL and any other establishment that conforms to government policy.
According to him, LADOL has already become part of the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda. Going round the free zone has shown that LADOL is a force to reckon with in terms of industrialization.
He maintained that Nigeria is blessed with human and material resources just as he noted that the challenge has always been on how to manage these resources.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that if we are able to manage the resources of this country very well, no Nigerian will suffer and one can envisage the number of families this place provides for.
In her remarks, the Managing Director of LADOL, Dr. Amy Jadesimi described the visit as very significant, stressing that running of the free zone depends on other sister agencies, and NIS has been essential for LADOL remaining operational throughout 2020.
According to her, NIS has worked side-by-side with LADOL throughout the year and has shown high degree of professionalism. We are very pleased and honoured that the Comptroller visit us today because it reinforces the good relationship we both have.
Continuing, she said: “We will be working closely with them going forward especially with LADOL’s Training School coming up. We need to make sure that technology transfer happens at a much faster rate and at a much higher level. So, working side-by-side with them would ensure that our technology and training plans are actualized”.
The Coordinator of the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority, NEPZA, LADOL, Beri Abdul, said he was proud of LADOL.Describing it as a 100 percent indigenous facility which is the first of its kind in the country, he stated that the visit has shown that the comptroller was concerned for the progress of Nigeria. He however solicited for the support of NIS in helping the Free Zone achieve its objectives.
