Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) has advocated promotion of locally made goods at the global market to attract foreign exchange as a way of resolving the current economic crisis.
Its president, Odeiga Jideonwo, while announcing the 35th Enugu International Trade Fair, billed to open on April 5, noted that local production and promotion were important to restore the Naira and national economy.
He insisted that the current economic challenges in the country were due to dwindling revenue from the nation’s mono foreign exchange earner – oil, stressing that the fair with the theme, “Promoting made in Nigeria products for global competitiveness” has been strategically re-engineered to have meaningful and positive effects on all stakeholders.
Jideonwo said Nigeria is blessed with so many resources to change the ugly narrative.
He stated that the agricultural sector would receive attention at the event.
IN a related development, ActionAid Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to review some of the policies foisting hardship on women.
It regretted that fuel subsidy removal and unification of the foreign exchange market, intended to spur economic growth, have inadvertently hampered Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth and deepened gender inequality.
Deputy Country Director, Suweba Dakwanbo Mohammed, at a press conference in Abuja, stressed the need to address the pressing economic challenges facing the country.
She said despite gains made by development partners in empowering women across Nigeria, the economic downturn has led to setbacks, with many women-owned businesses shutting down due to financial difficulties, thus widening existing gender disparities and injustices.
Mohammed pointed out that studies conducted by her organisation in some communities to ascertain weight of the current situation on women and children showed that the current hardship has impacted 80 per cent of their livelihood, with 13 per cent of the respondents relating it to the high cost of living and 80 per cent lamenting the high cost of transportation.
The group, subsequently, called on the government to implement gender-sensitive policies, revise economic reforms, prioritise social protection, combat inflation and price instability, strengthen security measures, support women-owned enterprises, as well as foster dialogue and collaboration.
