Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), has said that the appointment of Princess Abiodun Anifalaje as the new Deputy National Coordinator of the Gemstones Miners and Marketers Association of Nigeria (GMMAN) hinged on ingenuity, commitment and hard-work towards value-addition.
Adesugba stated this in his congratulatory message to the Lagos-based business woman on Sunday in Abuja.
The NEPZA boss, himself, a member of the association said that Anifalaje took the business of solid minerals by storm in view of the success she had made of it.
According to him, the association through her professional ingenuity, hard-work and commitment has significantly improved in the overall coordination of members in the mining and processing of precious stones.
“It is widely acknowledged in the sector that Princess remains an arrow head in pushing national consciousness toward competitive solid mineral exploration for national growth.
“This is also part of our focus in NEPZA; to galvanise investments in solid mineral by partnering with investors who are willing to key into the country’s free zones scheme with arguably the best incentives in the world’’, he said.
Adesugba also said that the authority was taking inventory of business women like Anifalaje with strong capital base in order to encourage them to establish an `Amazon Free Trade Zone’ for the production of women and children’s items for export.
“The business of Solid Minerals (Gemstones and Metals) such as Gold, Aquamarine, Sapphire, Emerald, Amethyst and Charcoal among others is a good way to start for interested business women and we are committed to ensuring that the processes are made easy for them,’’ the NEPZA boss said.
Adesugba, therefore, said that Anifalaje had indeed distinguished herself within a short period in the sector, adding that her new appointment was well deserved.