From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
In line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on the domestication of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) in states and grassroots level across Nigeria, the Ogun State government, on Tuesday, inaugurated a technical working group on the implementation of AfCFTA. The inauguration followed the visit by members of the National Action Committee on AfCFTA which came to sensitise stakeholders on the continental trade agreement.
Inaugurating the committee, which members include the Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Dapo Okunbadejo, Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Kiklomo Longe, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Olaolu Olabintan, the Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, Mr Selim Adegunwa, among others, Governor Dapo Abiodun, charged members to develop robust strategies to ensure successful implementation of AfCFTA in the state.
The Federal Government had on July 7, 2019, signed the AfCFTA in Niamey, to promote intra-African trade with other African countries.
The agreement was conceived to create a single market for “Made in Africa” goods and services as part of efforts to deepen the economic integration of African countries.
But speaking at the inauguration of the technical committee, Governor Abiodun, represented by his deputy, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, stressed that the agreement would further address challenges faced by Small and Medium Enterprises in the course of transacting in goods and services.