by crossriverwatch admin
A group of investors operating within the Tinapa Free Trade Zone have threatened to close shop in the business hub citing the deliberate decision of the Comptroller General of Customs, Abdulahi Dikko Hinde to shut down genuine economic activities within Tinapa.
In a statement signed by the investors and made available to CrossRiverwatch, the group which comprised of both local and international investors said: “We investors operating within Tinapa Business and Leisure Free Trade Zone wish to express our deep concern about the deliberate decision of the Comptroller General Of Customs to shut down economic activities in Tinapa.
“The law establishing Tinapa Business and Free Trade Zone Resort recognizes the fact that Tinapa is the ‘Transit Hub’ for goods within sub regional Africa and there is an existing albeit gazetted ‘Transit Law’ governing the movement of goods in and out of Tinapa to other countries within the sub region.
“We are indeed shocked and bewildered why Customs at Onne Command stopped the processing of investors consignments of over 120 containers which are on transit to Tinapa Free Trade Zone.
“The unilateral illegal act by the customs in Onne in stopping Tinapa bound consignments is against the spirit and letter of the gazetted law that set up Tinapa as a Free Trade Zone”.
The group said since the Onne Customs Boss stopped their goods to Tinapa, with an information that they should come and pay duty for a Free Trade Zone bound goods three months ago, the serial impunity with regards to their trade transactions in Tinapa has caused hardship both to their businesses and to the people particularly Cross Riverians who are working and earning salaries from their businesses.
“We feel this is a calculated attempt to truncate business activities within the Free Trade Zone thus rendering all human materials and financial resources invested in establishing the zone as a total waste.
“The attention of Cross Riverians and all well meaning Nigerians should be drawn to the irreparable damage that the Comptroller General Abdulahi Dikko has done to the economy of Cross River State, South South and South East Region”.
The investors said if nothing is done they have no option than to close shop and sack all the employees to join the teeming unemployed youths on the streets.
They said this will affect 20,000 Cross Riverians both directly and indirectly with immediate implication of crimes and other security challenges.
“We call on His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Cross River State to use his link to avert this practical invasion of economic strangulation of the State championed by the Comptroller General of Customs, Abdulahi Dikko, National Assembly, Ministry of Finance, Industry, Trade and Investment and others to come to Tinapa’s aid because Tinapa will soon be a ghost town if nothing is done urgently.” The group said.
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