By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Shola Enikanolaiye, has urged Nigerians, particularly farmers, manufacturers, processors and small and medium-sized businesses, to take full advantage of the ECOWAS trade scheme in order to expand their access to regional markets.
The Minister made the call in a speech at a one-day sensitization workshop on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, ETLS, held in Bauchi on Saturday.
The Minister described ETLS as a key instrument for regional economic integration, providing preferential access to markets for qualifying products originating from ECOWAS member states, while supporting industrial growth, cross-border trade, MSMEs and economic development
Declaring the workshop opened, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, called for practical measures to remove trade barriers and make it easier for Nigerian businesses, particularly small enterprises, to access markets across the West African sub-region.
Represented by his Deputy, Rt Jon Auwal Jatau, Bala Mohammed said the successful implementation of ETLS should go beyond discussions and produce concrete measures that would enable producers, processors, traders, transport operators and business associations to participate effectively in regional trade.
He however identified delays in export processing, border delays, multiple checkpoints, inadequate transportation infrastructure, non-tariff barriers and limited access to accurate trade information as some of the challenges increase the cost of doing business, noting that such challenges affect smaller businesses most.
The Governor said Bauchi was richly endowed with agricultural, mineral and industrial resources, with farmers, manufacturers, processors, traders, cooperatives and young entrepreneurs who could benefit significantly from wider regional markets.
He therefore urged stakeholders to use the ETLS platform to improve awareness, understand certification and product standards, identify barriers confronting businesses and develop practical solutions to them.
While welcoming the participants, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Ali Gombe, said Bauchi was chosen to host the workshop because of its strategic position and economic potential within the North-East
Represented at the event by a Senior Official in the Ministry, .the Permanent Secretary said the participation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry and other stakeholders from the subregion was critical to increasing the North-East’s contribution to Nigeria’s regional trade objectives.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that successful implementation of ETLS requires collaboration among the federal and state governments, businesses and regulatory institutions.
In his remarks, the President, North-East Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Alh Ahmed Ashemi lauded the Federal Government for the initiative, saying it would support various economic revival efforts of the Six States of the North-East geopolitical zone pledging their continued support.
Also, the President of the Bauchi Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, (BACCIMA), Alhaji Aminu Muhammad, said the benefits of ETLS should not be limited to large corporations, but should also reach women, young entrepreneurs, youth cooperatives and MSMEs.
He urged stakeholders to measure the success of the scheme by the number of businesses registering under ETLS, commencing exports, entering new markets and creating jobs, stressing that the Northeast should not remain merely a market for products made elsewhere but should become a centre of production, processing and export.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from across North-East subregion with discussions focused on strengthening regional trade, improving compliance and connecting businesses in the North-East to wider West African markets.
Bauchi Dep Governor, Ry Hon Auwal Jatau welcomes Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Shola Enikanolaiye
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