By Tejiri Ebikeme

The Warri Ijaw Peace Monitoring Group (WIPMG) has  called on  President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently  activate the Export Processing Zone ( EPZ) Project to fight recession in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari

Chairman of WIPMG, Chief Patrick Bigha said in Warri, Delta State that there was urgent need for President  Buhari to order resumption of work at the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), in Escravos, Warri South West LGA, Delta State, which has two components of Gas City at Ogidigben and Deep Seaport at Gbaramatu.

According to him, resumption of work at the multi billion dollars  EPZ Project would help to address the issue of unemployment in this time of economic hardship being faced by Nigerians.

He disclosed that  the land for both components of the project was ready to start construction and coupling of machines.

Chief Bigha  recalled that during the ground breaking ceremony performed by former president Goodluck Jonathan, on Thursday March 26, 2015, the drivers of the project  said that the project will engage 150,000 work force at the construction level and 5,000,000 work force at the completion of the project.

“No doubt, this is a project that will reduce unemployment to  the barest minimum  if not totally eradicate unemployment in this part of the country. This is the time for this project to commence as it will help to reduce the effects of the current economic hardship Nigerians are going through”, he said.

He added that;”The beauty of this project is that it is private sector driven, as the government of Nigeria will not spend any kobo in the project, but will only to provide the enabling environment for the private investors, which the two ethnic groups have promised before the inauguration of the present administration.

The resumption of work will also address the issue of the Niger Delta resurgence as most of the youths including those that have acquired various skills  from the Presidential Amnesty Programme will be engaged in the project. By then no one will be left to make trouble in the region. It will also address the incessant quarrelling between the Ijaws and the Itsekiris as sometimes idleness is the cause of such quarrelling”.

He therefore  advised the  President to urgently order the necessary bodies to activate the project to address the issue of economic recession and unemployment in the country.