Non-oil revenue: Delta unveils export initiative
The Delta State government on Monday said it has moved from lip service in the non-oil sector to an action plan with the creation of the DELTA-UNIDO Export Initiative.
“The vision behind my decision to work audaciously in the non-oil sector is to increase the amount of forex generated, generate employment, help in funding and access to market, including assistance in training, branding, packaging and labelling, Ifeanyi Okowa, the state governor said while unveiling the Delta Export initiative and Made-in-nigeria products exhibition at the David’s Events Centre, Asaba.
Okowa, who was represented by the commissioner for economic planning, Barry Pere Gbe lamented that mono-product economy does not augur well for inclusive economic growth and sustainable development as oil is a depleting resource.
According to him, “the advent of electric cars is clear and presents danger to the future of the oil industry. Hence, there is an urgent need for the state government to expeditiously diversify the economy and maximise the non-oil export potentials of the state for accelerated economic development.”
To this end, the state government has been consistently committed to policies and programmes geared towards enhancing diversification of the economy through massive investment in infrastructure and skills acquisition. Our drive is to enhance job and wealth creation in nonoil export initiative, he added.
Okowa recalled how his administration in the first term, set out to make agriculture a growth driver to reduce dependence on fluctuating oil earnings and embarked on a pilot scheme of producing high quality, internationally certified Yellow Garri, which was successfully exported to the United Kingdom which he said led to the creation of the Delta Export Initiative and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Centre.
He promised that the state government would strengthen and consolidate on the programme taking the dividends of democracy to the door steps of the people, just as he stressed the need for collaboration the private and public sectors to achieve the goals.