ASEPC charts new road map for export

THE stakeholders meeting of  Anambra State Export Promotion Committee (ASEPC), held on Friday, at Jerome Udorji Secretariat Complex, Awka, was focused on the challenges and road map for the implementation of one-state-one product (OSOP) strategy.
O.S.O.P, a national programme, which every state must adopt as a strategy to be identified with at least one product for export is an implementation of strategy by the National Council of Industry, Trade and Investment as a driver for non oil plan of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council.
In his opening remarks, the chairman of the committee, and also the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Commerce, Mr Daniel Chibueze Okoli, urged all chairmen of the four subcommittees to schedule meetings with members, interact, brainstorm and submit reports based on their assigned responsibilities. The chairman said that the outcome would enhance policy formation which would promote export activities in Anambra State.
Secretary of the committee, and also the HOD Commerce, Ministry of Trade and Commerce in the state, Mrs. Henrietta Basil-Ideh, said the vision of the committee was to make Anambra State a destination for non-oil export business, starting with OSOP strategy.
In his address, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Agric Exports, Dr Okey Okwuosa, extolled Anambra State for being the first in Nigeria to export vegetables to Europe. Dr Okwuosa pointed out that the state has a wide range of crop products for export, such as cassava, yam tubers, rice.
Also speaking, the Head of Laboratory, NAFDAC Zonal Laboratory, Agulu, Dr Olubukola Irurhe, expressed the need to embrace the right standard practices in production and packaging of agricultural products so that they can be exported directly to Europe. “This will earn the country more revenue than exporting through other African countries like Ghana”, she said.
The Vice President, Awka Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Mr. Don Onyenji, called on the committee members to look into the issue of sustainability of products adopted for export. He maintained that there should be a measurement between what is consumed locally and the quantity to be exported.
The committee comprises members from various organizations and ministries: Ministry of Trade and Commerce, NEPC, NAFDAC, Ministry of Agriculture, ADP, Ministry of Information and Public Enlightenment, NOA, ANSIPPA, SON, FADAMA, Anambra Fisheries, Nigeria Customs Service, MAN, SPC, Ministry of Women Affairs, and National Youth Council.