Abdulsalami tasks African countries on inadequate infrastructure

Faults European ban on some Nigerian food products
FORMER head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar has challenged African countries to put in place adequate transport and logistics infrastructure as part of measure to boost export.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday at the maiden edition of International Seatrade and Investment Convention, Abdulsalami said Africans should move from the mindset of thinkinh only about Europe, Asia, the America whenever export trade is discussed.

He said Africa is experiencing “exponential growth in economy and in population”, adding that the development translates to market.
According to Abubakar, to facilitate export trade on a continental basis, there is need to adopt and implement policy of intra Africa and inter-regional trade amongst Africa countries.

He said every Africa country should tailor its domestic policies towards global goal, pointing out that Transport linkages between Africa countries require deliberate effort.

Abdulsalami said: “For instance, as countries invest in and improve their transport infrastructure, we should deliberately invest only in infrastructure that is interoperable with that of the neighbouring country.

“For example, type of rail gauges should be uniform to facilitate trade with neighbouring states. Countries should implement regulations that reduces bureaucracy and obstacles to trade between Africa countries”, said Abdulsalami.

He described the recent ban on certain Nigerian food products from export to European Union as “most undesirable”.

He urged participants at the conference to highlight the different levels of failure that resulted in reducing Nigeria’s volume of trade rather than increasing and suggest pragmatic steps to reversing the ban and preventing future occurrence.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday, Abdulsalami said there has to be in place a means of transportation such as ship or train or road or air transport.

He also called for terms of trade which such that Francophone/Luxophone will govern the contractual agreement between the seller (exporter) and buyer (importer).

Speaking on the theme “Exploring New Trade Frontiers”, the former head of state said trade patterns in Africa have remained virtually the same even after decades of independence from colonialism and economic growth.

He said Africa’s outbound cargo is largely exports commodities to the Western/Asian countries while inbound cargo consist of finished products from those foreign partners.

Abdulsalami said: “To break it further down, the prevalent trading route is along colonial relationship such that Francophone/Luxophone and Aglophone Africa Countries export goods to and import same from their respective erstwhile European colonialist.

“Inter and intra trade between and within African countries have failed to develop in terdem with economic growth recorded in the continent.

In his welcome remark, the chairman of the convention and former Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Adebayo Sarumi urged Nigerians to take advantage of the recent restriction of 41 items to Foreign Exchange (FOREX) by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, said Nigeria’s economy must not be import dependant.

He urged participants to take advantage of numerous export opportunities available in Nigeria.