By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Benue State governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, has expressed readiness of his administration to key into the ‘operation double your export’ campaign of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, to enhance non-oil export activities.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum on development of non-oil commodities in Makurdi, the governor maintained that promoting such activities would stimulate investment in the state.
Governor Alia represented by commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment Alumo Orpin, revealed that already his administration was working on an export strategy document to provide for the non-oil export activities in the state, adding that to achieve the goal, his administration was equally addressing infrastructural gaps, enhancing market access, streamlining regulatory processes as well as investing in skills development and technology adoption.
He emphasized the need for a collaborative effort between government and the private sectors as well as the civil society organisations and the academia to overcome the battle in order to unlock the food potentials of the non-oil export products that abound in the state.
In his remark, president of Benue Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture, BCCMA, Orbem Yakubu emphasized the need for a paradigm shift for the discussion to yield positive results.
He said the state has untapped potentials waiting to be tapped, but pointed out that government and financial institutions must show commitment to utilize such potentials.