Delta State Government is targeting over 2,500 local exporters of various commodities and packaged products to cover countries within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Shimite Love, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade and Export made the disclosure on Wednesday while speaking as guest of Orientation Panorama on Voice of Delta Radio 97.9 FM in Asaba.
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She said that Governor Oborevwori is committed to the socioeconomic growth and capacity building of entrepreneurs through training, skills acquisition and public-private partnership initiatives.
She said her office recently created list of small and medium enterprises in the state, to enable government develop the sector known to be the major booster of economic growth, pointing out that the MORE agenda of governor Oborevwori adequately captured new economic reforms in trade and export businesses, especially painless tax reforms, and by assisting traders and exporters to consistently improve on their products, goods and services required to boost export.
The governor’s Special Adviser said her office responsibility is to ensure that through government efforts, traders and exporters are able to make steady progress in commercial transactions, and in turn pay taxes that would enable governor Oborevwori to fulfil his social contract obligations to citizens, as well as grow the state economy to an enviable proportion.
She disclosed that apart from serving as the major link between government and traders/exporters in the state, her office also assists entrepreneurs and local manufacturers in the area of product and corporate branding, products packaging, access to financing where necessary, and further assist them on how to register products at the National Foods and Beverages Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, amongst others.
Love disclosed that Delta has been exporting Palm Oil, Soaps, Soya Milk, Plantain Flower and Cassava value chain products to Kenya and Togo under the immediate past administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and that under Oborevwori administration plans are in top gear to expand trade and export to upscale Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, and more importantly to increase operational scope of traders and exporters, so as to earn importers confidence.
She said under the MORE agenda, her office is already focusing on the export of foods and beverages, fashion, arts, crafts and many other products, through PPP arrangements where necessary with small and large scale producers and manufacturers.
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She advised intending traders and exporters who are desirous of partnering with Delta State Government to contact her office with proof of business name registration or incorporation, supported with not less than six months record showing credible accounting system indicating proper book keeping needed for official consideration and necessary advise.
She urged Nigerians to always patronize made in Nigeria products, so as to encourage local producers and manufacturers which would facilitate industrialization, economic prosperity and future prospects for traders and exporters in Delta State, and across Nigeria.
