The National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has asserted that the Industrial Park established in Gombe state cannot operate optimally without a trade facilitation centre.
National deputy president of the association Dr Bala Abubakar made the assertion yesterday in an interview with newsmen during the ongoing Gombe State 2022 Investment Summit held at Gombe International Conference Centre.
He said if there is trade facilitation centres in place, it would help the government to look at the laws and policies that are unfriendly to the business environment and investment so that there would be amendment of such laws to make the environment very conducive for trading and investment
“Trade facilitation centres are here to fill the gap that exist that hinders the smooth movement of goods, services and persons from one trading centres to another.
“When we establish trade facilitation centres, apart from fulfilling that gap, the centres will look at the entire investment opportunities that we have in a state. This is how we need to maximise it.
“For example, Gombe is establishing industrial park, that park will not operate optimally and meet the aspirations of the citizens of the state until they have a functional trade facilitation centre which will make that park to operate optimally to the benefit of economic of the state and the country as a whole,” he opined.
He lauded the government of Gombe state for organising the investment summit saying it provided the platform for government representatives, private sector and international donor agencies to discuss on harnessing the business potentials of the state.
“Before now, there is no serious synergy between the government on one hand and the private sector under the leadership of Chambers of commerce. If there is very serious synergy, we wouldn’t have been having the problem we are having now relating the investment, trade facilitation and so on,” he stated.
