The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has sensitised cooperative societies and other groups in Anambra State to embrace non-oil export promotion to boost the Nigerian economy.
Olusegun Awolowo, executive director of NEPC, in a keynote address at a stakeholders’ forum on “Developing the Nigeria Agricultural Value Chain for Export through Effective Cooperative Society Formation and Management” in Awka, said depending on oil to boost the economy was no longer viable.
Awolowo, represented by the South East regional director, Arnold Jackson, while commending Gov. Willie Obiano for supporting the development of non-oil promotion in the state, said that the role of cooperative societies has become sacrosanct in revolutionising the Nigeria agricultural landscape.
According to him, a cooperative society is a veritable tool in propagating and increasing export trade.
“An endeavour which may be difficult to achieve by an individual is easily dispensed by a group of individuals in the spirit of cooperative society. Cooperative society, therefore, plays an increasingly important role worldwide in poverty reduction, facilitating job creation, access to credit, economic growth and social development,” he said.
Awolowo affirmed that the commission, in recognition of the role of cooperative societies in non-oil export promotion, would accept besides a limited liability company registration, the cooperative society registration for the issuance of exporter’s certificate which is qualification export in Nigeria.
He said the Federal Government preferred to disburse loan under cooperative/cluster arrangement than individuals, which can be seen from the success of the Anchor Borrowers Scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria in especially Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Plateau, Adamawa, Niger, Sokoto, Ebonyi, Cross River and Lagos States.
“Cooperative society provides the platform for which individuals with no strong financial standing could become valuable players in wealth creation activities in the nation.
“Smallholder farmers have the opportunity to aggregate their strength to benefit from economies of scale and significantly contribute to the nation’s economic development through their activities in areas of production, processing, manufacturing, marketing, etc,” he said.
Awolowo assured Anambra State of continued collaboration to develop the non-oil export in the state.
Okey Okwuosa, the senior special adviser to the state governor, said the state is endowed in agriculture, stressing the Anambra International Cargo Airport due to open in April would be handy to export the agricultural produce to the outside world.
He commended the organisers of the event for choosing to sensitise cooperative society members in the state.
Jane Ohiri, NEPC’s Trade Promotion Adviser, Awka Smart Office, said she was overwhelmed with the over 200 participants in the one-day workshop.
She urged the participants not to relent in showing more dedication in the export promotion activities.
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