The Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has stressed that it would not compromise on ensuring that due process must be complied with in its dealings with sister agencies and other establishments.
This was contained in a statement issued Friday by its head of corporate communications, Martins Odeh.
It read in part, “The attention of the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has been drawn to news report on request of the Auditor General of the Federation for more details on the 2017 to 2019 financial transactions on the development of special economic zones across the six geo-political zones of the country.
“We want to affirm that the management of NEPZA is cooperating with the Auditor General’s office by providing details of the transactions including the compliance and due process requirements instituted under the new management of the Authority led by Prof. Adesoji Adesugba.
“The Prof. Adesugba led management team that assumed operations in mid-2020 inherited the said transaction and had since implemented a clean-up operation within the context of Public Procurement Act and financial regulations.
“It is, therefore, pertinent to state that the enforcement of the procurement laws was the first decision of this new management leading to advertisement of all contracts, public opening of bids and application of all due process requirements in the awards of contracts.”
It read further, “This new management in its resolve to promote the President Muhammed Buhari zero tolerance for corruption, revitalised the Authority’s Anti- Corruption Unit in partnership with the ICPC in addition to other safeguards to ensure value for money in line with the standard set by law and the directives of Buhari administration.
“The target was to ensure that new free zones relevant to the economic needs of the country are developed through compliance with relevant laws. NEPZA, therefore, wants to assure the media and the general public that all relevant information on procurement processes in the agency are being provided to the Auditor General’s Office and would not in any way promote corruption that could obliterate its mandate and vision.”
