FG tasks investors on non-oil export commodities

>As Oyo Govt. hosts ICAIS-3 Oct. 22 to 23 

The  Federal Government has advocated the active collaboration of all stakeholders in the promotion and development of Nigeria’s non-oil export commodities.

Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, spoke recently in Abuja at a press conference on the forthcoming 3rd International Conference on Africa’s Indigenous Stimulants (ICAS-3) to be hosted by Oyo State from October 22 to 23, 2013.

According to the Minister, Government alone could not bear the responsibility of developing non-oil export commodities, particularly the production of stimulant crops such as kolanuts, bitter kola, alligator pepper, moringa including aloe Vera, noting that, besides their medicinal values, stimulant crops are valuable raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr. Ortom explained that the conference aims at sensitizing the public on the investment opportunities in the stimulant sub-sector, which he said could reposition the economy for job creation, foreign exchange generation and poverty alleviation.

Also speaking, the President of the African Business Roundtable (ABR) and National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bamanga Tukur, said the ICAS series was one of the organizers’ joint-flagship events going round the country. Tukur, who was represented by Mr. Samuel Ayodele, the ABR Director of Operations, added that the conference also targets at exploring Africa’s underground wealth for economic development through expanding knowledge, awareness and stimulating greater consciousness of the country’s wealth and natural endowment.

On his part, the Executive Chairman of ICAS-3, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said the stimulant subsector was an area that needed renewed national interest and attention, as “other countries have exploited this area of natural endowment to great advantage, boosting export, creating jobs for women, youth and the rural populace.

“With the inevitable decline of the oil sector and the increasing realization that agriculture and agro-enterprise must become the anchor of our economy; this area needs renewed attention”, Ogbeh emphasized.

ICAIS is an initiative of Vertical Inspirations Organization and the African Business Roundtable (ABR) with support from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.