By; USMAN NASIDI, Kaduna
In line with the ongoing programmrs of the 44th Kaduna International Trade Fair organized by the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), has organized a one-day seminar to seek ways of improving Nigeria’s economy.
The event which was held on Tuesday at the Trade Fair Conference Centre with the theme, “Promoting Value Addition For Sustainable Growth And Development, was meant to create additional income values through local productivity in the country.
Speaking at the event, the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufa’i commended efforts of KADCCIMA for organizing the programme and by getting the right combination, which involves institutions, students, private and public sectors, and all the notable stakeholders for the development of businesses in Nigeria.
The governor, represented by Malam Musa Isa, Director Business, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology, explained that value addition is what has been the lead in the country in terms of production, saying, “we hardly have a production if we’re not encouraged to add value of what we are producing.”
He added that, “Kaduna State is endowed with so many solid minerals that need to be processed, so that we can derive benefit from the rest of the world and people have to be encouraged in other to bring forth the development into the state, while the youth are privileged to stand as entrepreneurs to the world.”
He said, “Kaduna State has gotten a lot of opportunities to encourage small scale industries to be developed in the state. If we are thinking in terms of finance, Kaduna State has an arrangement with Bank of industry (BOI) where they had one billion Naira for the sake of loan to be distributed to the citizens of the state and this is ongoing.
“We are hearing about Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) here in Kaduna and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology are housing them at the secretariat, so they’re living with us by giving them offices, just to develop the process in which the export development can be enhanced.”
According to him, Kaduna State under the ministry, is saddled with a lot of responsibilities of developing businesses in the state, so whatever information one has or wanta to have for business development, the individual shouldn’t hesitate to go to the ministry. Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, and former president, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Engr. Mansur Ahmed, lamented over the need for the country to resolve the inhouse financial crisis by ensuring it boosts the productivity of locally made products and services towards building its economy.
He added that, “the important thing about adding value to everything is that, we are creating wealth because wealth comes from that additional value. The total value goes up to increase the wealth of the country.
“The theme is not only important to Kaduna State, the country and the region, but it is indeed important for Africa as a whole, because value addition is what has kept Africa as a whole and our continent behind other countries of the world.
“All stakeholders, all sectors of the economy must continue to collaborate to make adequate contributions in other for this to happen, especially between the private sector and the public sector, civil societies and other stakeholders in the society by adding value to the goods and services being produced.
“We add value to our agriculture, mineral resources, add value to the human capacity and even to the services we produce as a vital requirement for products and prosperity.
“Private sector needs the environment in order not only to produce the goods and services they need, but also to continue to add value to the goods and services and to trade not only within the country and also across nations, hence, what we can see today, trade is a major channel for increasing prosperity.
In her remarks, the chairman of the organizing committee, Hajiya Rukayya Musa, stressed that Nigeria is blessed with so many mineral resources that we don’t value, so there’s the need for them to encourage the activities which is the major reason behind the occasion being organized to boost thoughts of young Nigerians especially the youth.
She said that, “there are lots of things that just need a small push for one to realize his or her talent and capacity, and for that, we’re not backing out, until we ensure what we’re inspiring for is achieved”.
Finally, Hajiya Rakiya Musa appreciated the efforts of the entire stakeholders, special guests, participants and members of the chamber for putting heads together to make sure the event was successful.
