Dwindling Oil Prices - Group Task NEPC on Economic Upswing

The New Initiative for Credible Leadership has charged the Nigerian Export promotion Council (NEPC) with the responsibility to extend its activities towards making certain increase in non-oil export as resolution to the economic hardship caused by fallen crude value.

The NEPC has crucial role to play in Nigeria’s economic recovery since there's finally an understanding that the era of relying on crude as the country’s major revenue supply is over. Hence diversification is key.

A statement issued by an Aubja based group during the week noted that this economic challenge offers the NEPC to further prove it is capable of satisfying its mandate of developing and diversifying the nation’s export trade since it will get the nod of Nigerians at the moment

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A statement by the Executive Director of the Group, advised that Rev Samson Onwu, should live up to its responsibility of assisting and promoting export-oriented industries since the country should be self-sufficient before considering global export.

It said “Now is a good time as any for the Executive Director of NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo to implement all the impressive concepts and ideas he had articulated in the past. His public pronouncements have been source of hope in the past and we believe implementation of his idea will bring the much needed succor to Nigerians.

“Our observation is that Nigerians have been looking inwards since the pressure on the naira first manifested and our belief is that it is a matter of time before the small and medium scale industries that were recently re-activated will begin to produce surplus to local consumption. NEPC must prepare for this eventuality to ensure that there would be no glut and that industries are able to export such surpluses without breaking sweat.
“We equally expect that Mr Awolowo can now activate the various foreign contacts and relationships that the Council has built in the past years for the benefit of Nigerian companies that are ready to export their goods and services.” The statement stressed.
 

It advised the NEPC Executive Director not to shy away from exploiting the cooperation that is possible with government agencies with complementary functions to ensure that the economy is out of the woods.