NEPC to reposition exports, stop rejection of Nigerian goods

Until Nigerians stop briefcase emergency export and allow established companies to do the right thing, Nigerians will never stop losing money and encountering other problems in export business.

 The executive director and CEO of Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Olusegun Awolowo dropped the hint during the launch of a prototype dryer machine in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State recently.

 He lamented that Nigerian exporters lose a lot of goods and money because most of them fail to follow the normal procedure in processing the produce for export.

 The executive director stated that it is high time Nigerians started adding value to its product through improved technology in agriculture to boost the quality of produce and properly position it to the world market.

 The chief executive who was represented at the two-day workshop by Veronica Oriere, deputy director, National Export Office department Abuja, said that in the bid to find a lasting solution to the incidences of lost funds, goods and food rejection by European Union, the Federal Government instituted an Inter-Agency committee on zero Reject policy spearheaded by NEPC in collaboration with some Ministries, Departments and agencies.

It is against the background he said that NEPC in collaboration with a private firm – Olu Olu Industries Limited, launched the prototype machine to address the EU ban on some food items as a result of quality issues, reiterating federal government’s desire to improve the quality of Nigerian produce for export.

 The demonstration workshop, she said, has been done in two other locations- Ibadan and Katsina, to address the problems associated with age-long sun-drying method for produce reservation through introduction of ‘on-point’ drying practice which prevents aflotoxin infection, makes post harvest handling less cumbersome, and thereby reducing incidences of wastage.

 She called on the politicians, philanthropies, and stakeholders with interest in enhancing Nigeria’s Agro-products standards to invest in acquisition of the new produce dryer for distribution to farmers as a means of economic empowerment to the people.

 Speaking at the workshop the managing director of Olu Olu Industries Limited, Olu Aiyegbusi, who also was the resource person, inspired the people on how they could make money through export of Agricultural produce.

 He explained that it is the best time now for Nigerians to address the challenges it is facing in export business, as there is pressure on government to re position the ailing economy through activities of non-oil sector.

REGIS ANUKWUOJI