Delta targets 3000 exporters to boost state’s ailing economy

Determined to revamp the state’s ailing economy, Delta state government says it has taken steps to as part of its strategies to shop for 3,000 exporters as a major boost

Executive Assistant to the state Governor on Export Initiative/ UNIDO Centre, Mrs Shimite Bello who Confirmed this to Journalists in Asaba on Wednesday, said that the efforts was aimed at ensuring that some of the products wherein the state had some Comparative advantage were exported beyond the shares of the Country, adding that the process would not only give the state its pride in terms of its production capacity in the international market but that it would also help in enhancing the Internally Generated Revenue ( IGR) profile of the state.

Bello explained that the 3,000 exporters would cut across different strata of the state including people living with disabilities ( PLWDs), adding that, to drive the process, the state government in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council ( NEPC) had inaugurated Export Cluster where about 50 Exports had been identified with 30 of them Currently identified as Performing Exporters.

She listed some of the Identified export products, wherein the state Currently had Comparative advantage to include: Palm Produce Kernel, Oil, Aquaculture- Seafood, Vegetable, Rubber, Charocal, adding that others include: Fashion Leatherworks and Akwa Ochan, among others Just as she noted that on Solid Minerals, although the is rich with high deposits of Kaolin, but that it was yet to identify viable trade for it in the state.

On the selection process for the would be Exporters, Bello said that the state had adopted a 50,50,50,50 formula for easy administration, adding that the breakdown of the formula, indicates that the first 50 business, brown, the other 50, otherwise known as Green would new Exporters, the third 50 would be among those who would-be suppliers to the various local markets in the state, who also had the Capacity for export but would be sending their products to the local market while the fourth 50, according to her, would be among the Government Assisted Groups such as Job Creation, PLWDS, among others.

She said” We are committed to adding value to the state IGR and that is the major driver of this project, and we will Continue to Strengthen all the IGR in the state.” Meanwhile, the ten-year-old Intra -Communal feud that has destroyed lives and Property in Ase- Omuku Community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State has been resolved by the state government.

The crisis also reportedly sent some Indigenes into self-imposed exile to escape the violence that Characterized the disagreements, in addition to Court litigations.