By Omonigho Okotie
Delta State Government is targeting over two thousand, five hundred local exporters of various commodities and packaged products to countries within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), during the first tenure of the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori while the second tenure shall double government efforts.
Special Adviser on Trade and Export, Mrs Shimite Love, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking as a guest of Orientation Panorama on Voice of Delta Radio 97.9 FM in Asaba, saying 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 profiled small and medium enterprises in the state, to enable the government to develop the sector known to be the major booster of economic growth the world over, 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’s core assigned responsibility is to ensure that through government efforts, traders and exporters can 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, product packaging, access to financing where necessary, and further assistance them on how to register products at the National Foods and Beverages Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, amongst others.
Chief Shimite, disclosed that Delta has been exporting Palm Oil, Soaps, Soya Milk, Plantain Flower and Cassava value chain products to neighbouring countries of Kenyan and Togo under the immediate past administration of Governor Ifeanyi Arthur 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, to earn importers confidence.
She said under the MORE agenda, her office under this administration 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.
Chief Shimite 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’ track record showing a credible accounting system indicating proper bookkeeping needed for official consideration and necessary advice.
She urged Nigerians to always patronize made-in-Nigeria products, to encourage local producers and manufacturers which would facilitate industrialization, economic prosperity and prospects for traders and exporters in Delta State, and across Nigeria.
Orientation Panorama is an initiative of Delta State Orientation Bureau, in collaboration with Delta Broadcasting Service Asaba, to propagate government policies, programmes and achievements of the state governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, via Voice of Delta Radio 97.9 FM Asaba and Melody Radio 88.6 FM Warri, respectively.
