DELTA SOON TO BECOME PREFERRED DESTINATION FOR TRADING, EXPORT – Shimite Bello

Delta State Trade and Export Office has said it is working on modalities aimed at making the state the preferred destination for trade and export in the country.

The Special Advisrer to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Trade and Export, Chief (Mrs) Shimite Bello, disclosed this on Thursday in Asaba while briefing newsmen.

Mrs Bello noted that Lagos, Onitsha, Aba and some other cities with big markers had been in the forefront of trade in the country, pointing out that it was high time the narrative changed to the favour of Delta with the pragmatic steps being taken by the trade and export office.

The Special Advisrer stated that her office was tied to the Meaningful Development component of the MORE agenda and would do everything possible to add value to trade and export as part of measures to take the MORE agenda and by extension the development of the state to the next level.

She revealed that the profiling of entrepreneurs by her office commenced three months ago basically in the areas of food and beverage, fashion and make up, art and craft, as well as entertainment, pointing out that the overall objective was to help the entrepreneurs grow their businesses and export their products and services.

The Special Advisrer said the profiling helped to discover what the entrepreneurs needed to be strong in business, especially their funding needs and where to go for them, explaining that some of them were used to sourcing for credit facilities in the wrong places.

Mrs Bello disclosed that a new market was being planned for Oko, near Asaba, under the state’s urban renewal programme and would be run by quality personnel, including some entrepreneurs, while the traders would be 70% Deltans and 30% non Indigenes.