…As World Bank, AfDB, Afrexim Bank, others, endorse Gov. Mbah’s investment drive
The United Kingdom (UK) Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, John Baxtra, has pledged his country’s readiness to trade with Enugu State, as well as promote the state’s products in the UK.
The envoy also commended the investment drive of the Governor Peter Mbah administration, noting that the state and Nigeria stood to benefit immensely from the Developing Countries Traders Scheme (DCTS), which places lower or zero tariffs on a wide range of products, including food items, not widely produced in the UK.
Baxtra stated this at the Enugu State Investment and Economic Growth Stakeholders Roundtable organised by the state government in Enugu at the weekend.
His words: “As you may be aware, the UK launched the Developing Countries Traders Scheme in June of this year. The scheme covers 65 countries, 37 of which are in Africa. And, of course, one of the most important is Nigeria.
“Nigeria stands to benefit more than any other country because about 99 per cent of Nigeria’s export would be duty free.
“The Nigerian Export Promotion Council and the UK have already aligned to see some of the products of priority to achieve their target of increased export to the UK under this scheme.
“It should also be known that cashew, coconut and plantain, products being planted in Enugu and other Southeastern states, are among the top priority products, which are under the scheme.
“I will be delighted to ask people in the UK to look out for the cashew nut produced in Enugu when they buy it in the UK.
“Cocoyam, which is also produced in the state is also a priory product.
“So, we are all working together so that we can transform the enormous economic potentials in the state into a prosperous reality.
“I look forward to fostering a mutual investment and trading relationships between the UK and Enugu State.”
Commending the roundtable, which he described as a demonstration of Mbah’s vision to transform Enugu’s economy, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, said there could not be job creation and sustainable economic growth and development without private-sector investments.
On his part, the Regional Chief Operating Officer, Afrexim Bank, Eric Intong, expressed the eagerness of the financial institution to provide technical assistance to Enugu State, providing support in project preparation to ensure their realisation.
Intong said that Afrexim Bank was very ready to trade with the state.