Shippers’ Council, PEBEC Move to Improve on Nigeria’s Agro Products Export
Hon Jime
*As customs restates readiness to boost exports
By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Shipper’s Council (NSC) and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have intensified efforts to improve on the export potential of agro products.
To this effect, the two have moved to ensure that all obstacles on the way of export of such products are removed.
The Executive Secretary, Hon. Emmanuel Jime who spoke on Thursday during a stakeholders’ engagement said key recommendations from experts will be implemented for effect.
Speaking on the theme ‘Multi-Agency Stakeholders’ Enlightenment on Key Reforms of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council Under the National Action Plan 7.0 on Agro-Export’ Jime said that statistics have shown that 1percent increase in agricultural products has boosted the nation’s economy to 25%.
The Executive Secretary who was represented on the occasion by the Director of Regulatory Services, Ms Ifeoma Ezedinma said that what this implies was that Nigeria has the potential to do more.
According to Jime, “There are two issues -impediment access to markets and access to finance for export. If we can identify these impediments by farmers to accessing markets to their goods, and access to pay for their goods at the international markets, then we would move a step forward.
“It will be good if Nigerians are really committed to facilitating trade, good policies actually drive those policies both locally and internationally.
“Let us make sure that our discussion here make or break export for Nigeria. We need to harmonise whatever it is whether import or export”.
In his contribution, the Director of Trade and Exchange, , Dr. Kanya Williams said every effort should be made to ensure that stakeholders come up with ideas to make or break export in Nigeria.
Kanya said it should not just be a situation in which all eyes remain focused on the Central Bank when it comes to foreign exchange.
He added ”that initiative of agro products is doing well. That the impediments need to be taken out completely. A lot of exporters are not reading what they need to know.
“We want to hear from you what the Central Bank is doing wrongly so that we can clean the slate”.
The Customs Area Controller, Lilypond Command, Comptroller Muhammed Babande in his contribution, identified the role of the Customs in trade facilitation, adding that it was the responsibility of the Service to boost exports.
Babande said that the best that has happened to non-oil export was the establishment of the Lilypond Container Terminal.
According to him, the Service has achieved 75% to 80% of what we have to do.
He said, “Nigeria Customs Service plays a very vital role with Nigerian non-oil export by ensuring that exporter provides a certificate of incorporation, certificate of NEPC, NXP. And to ensure that all relevant agencies are present at the examination bay for inspection”.
The Deputy Director, Trade Services/ RC Nigerian Shipper’s Council, Miss Adaora Nwonu had in a welcome address disclosed that the meeting was specifically to address challenges facing non-oil products (agro products) and by proffering permanent solutions.
Nwonu said, “There is no other way or time other than now. The essence of this meeting is to ensure that all the factors that bedeviled seamless export are. removed. There is a popular saying that ” we have to live with fewer imports than more exports thereby revamping and boosting our productive economy.
“This event is to sincerely look at those issues, the exporters are, they are the primary focus of this event – agro exporters.
“That’s why we have gathered other stakeholders, shipping companies, and terminals who played a role in moving this product out in a costly and efficient manner.
“Its not about ANC now its about export competitiveness. And it cannot be competitive if the challenges are so numerous, with bottlenecks, and charges that will not allow you to export in a timely and efficient manner.
“Unfortunately, the country is bleeding, forex! forex!! forex!! How else do we earn forex if not by boosting our productive capacity and ability to earn that forex and boost export of agro products and other finished products? That is why we gathered all of you here so that the good intention of PEBEC in putting together national action plans to facilitate and remove every hindrance, starting from documentation, other processes, payment, charges, and other logistics that we overcome these challenges so that we can begin to get to the point where we really an export-driven economy We need to rely on fewer imports and more exports and boost our productive capacity”.
By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Shipper’s Council (NSC) and the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) have intensified efforts to improve on the export potential of agro products.
To this effect, the two have moved to ensure that all obstacles on the way of export of such products are removed.
The Executive Secretary, Hon. Emmanuel Jime who spoke on Thursday during a stakeholders’ engagement said key recommendations from experts will be implemented for effect.
Speaking on the theme ‘Multi-Agency Stakeholders’ Enlightenment on Key Reforms of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council Under the National Action Plan 7.0 on Agro-Export’ Jime said that statistics have shown that 1percent increase in agricultural products has boosted the nation’s economy to 25%.
The Executive Secretary who was represented on the occasion by the Director of Regulatory Services, Ms Ifeoma Ezedinma said that what this implies was that Nigeria has the potential to do more.
According to Jime, “There are two issues -impediment access to markets and access to finance for export. If we can identify these impediments by farmers to accessing markets to their goods, and access to pay for their goods at the international markets, then we would move a step forward.
“It will be good if Nigerians are really committed to facilitating trade, good policies actually drive those policies both locally and internationally.
“Let us make sure that our discussion here make or break export for Nigeria. We need to harmonise whatever it is whether import or export”.
In his contribution, the Director of Trade and Exchange, , Dr. Kanya Williams said every effort should be made to ensure that stakeholders come up with ideas to make or break export in Nigeria.
Kanya said it should not just be a situation in which all eyes remain focused on the Central Bank when it comes to foreign exchange.
He added ”that initiative of agro products is doing well. That the impediments need to be taken out completely. A lot of exporters are not reading what they need to know.
“We want to hear from you what the Central Bank is doing wrongly so that we can clean the slate”.
The Customs Area Controller, Lilypond Command, Comptroller Muhammed Babande in his contribution, identified the role of the Customs in trade facilitation, adding that it was the responsibility of the Service to boost exports.
Babande said that the best that has happened to non-oil export was the establishment of the Lilypond Container Terminal.
According to him, the Service has achieved 75% to 80% of what we have to do.
He said, “Nigeria Customs Service plays a very vital role with Nigerian non-oil export by ensuring that exporter provides a certificate of incorporation, certificate of NEPC, NXP. And to ensure that all relevant agencies are present at the examination bay for inspection”.
The Deputy Director, Trade Services/ RC Nigerian Shipper’s Council, Miss Adaora Nwonu had in a welcome address disclosed that the meeting was specifically to address challenges facing non-oil products (agro products) and by proffering permanent solutions.
Nwonu said, “There is no other way or time other than now. The essence of this meeting is to ensure that all the factors that bedeviled seamless export are. removed. There is a popular saying that ” we have to live with fewer imports than more exports thereby revamping and boosting our productive economy.
“This event is to sincerely look at those issues, the exporters are, they are the primary focus of this event – agro exporters.
“That’s why we have gathered other stakeholders, shipping companies, and terminals who played a role in moving this product out in a costly and efficient manner.
“Its not about ANC now its about export competitiveness. And it cannot be competitive if the challenges are so numerous, with bottlenecks, and charges that will not allow you to export in a timely and efficient manner.
“Unfortunately, the country is bleeding, forex! forex!! forex!! How else do we earn forex if not by boosting our productive capacity and ability to earn that forex and boost export of agro products and other finished products? That is why we gathered all of you here so that the good intention of PEBEC in putting together national action plans to facilitate and remove every hindrance, starting from documentation, other processes, payment, charges, and other logistics that we overcome these challenges so that we can begin to get to the point where we really an export-driven economy We need to rely on fewer imports and more exports and boost our productive capacity”.
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