The African Export-Import Bank ,Afreximbank, on Monday unveiled its second African Quality Assurance Centres, AQAC, in Imo state.
The unveiling ceremony took place at Umuowa in Ngor Okpala Council Area of the state.
According to state Governor, Hope Uzodimma, while unveiling the project alongside Afrexim representatives, he stated, “I am very delighted to participate in this ceremony. What the bank has done and still doing is to provide a homegrown solution. I recall how our people were subjected to untold scrutiny just to export African products. Now Afreximbank has risen to the occasion and is bringing a solution.
“From what I have seen any certification derived from here cannot be subjected to another scrutiny. I am happy, Imo is the second to have this centre in Nigeria.
The Nigeria National Development plan is in line with this.
“My administration is centred on prosperity for all which is to activate opportunities for economic growth. Afreximbank’s decision to cite this project here will not be regretted. I have no doubt we will have a win-win situation. We will give you every support you need to achieve results. It will create jobs for our people. The economic gains coming out of this project surely, we will be the ultimate beneficiary. We will support it to encourage foreign direct investment in Imo.”
In his remark, the president and chairman of the Board of Afreximbank, Benedict Okey Oramah, said the centre would end the era of African products being rejected at the international level.
Oramah who was represented by the executive vice president, intra-African trade, Afrexim bank, Kanayo Awani, stressed: “With the unveiling of the African Quality Assurance Centre, what it means is that products made in Africa, Nigeria and Imo will meet international standard and safety as well as it will ensure products meet regulations and quality so as to meet the technical and certification of product that it requires.
“Imo is an ideal location for this project because of it’s centrality. And Imo is known for agriculture and food production. Again what attracted us to Imo was because we looked at the industrial policies of the state and we found an alignment that is why we are here to construct on the five hectares of land provided to us.”
In her comment, the Afreximbank director of Export Development, Oluranti Doherty, said: “This is the second African Quality Assurance Centres, AQAC, in Nigeria. One of the key challenges to our various African exporters in accessing regional, international trade is lack of compliance with quality standard regulations so to resolve this we set up this African Quality Assurance Centres, AQAC, to assist the growing African economy.”
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