FG to empower youth through trans-national border markets — Perm sec

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, has reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to empower the youth through the establishment of the Trans-national border markets across the country.

The Permanent Secretary, Mr Edet Akpan, disclosed this during a meeting with officials of Niger State Government and other relevant stakeholders on Babaana Trans-National Border market in Abuja.

The Babaana Trans-national border market is a noble project which when completed will help in achieving many national policy goals as well as regional and international goals such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A statement issued by Mr brahim Haruna, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations Unit, on Wednesday in Abuja said the project when completed would bring about benefits to the national policy objectives.

Akpan listed the benefits to include job creation, wealth creation and integration of Nigerian economy to regional markets.

He further stated that the benefits of transnational border and regional markets included mainstreaming the informal trade into the national economy, reduction of the incidence of smuggling across borders, encouraging promotion of clusters of trade and services.

According to him, trans-national border trade will enhance the role of trade in regional integration, poverty alleviation, wealth creation and generation of employment in the border communities and source of revenue generation to government.

The Emir of Borgu, Niger state, Alhaji Sani Muhammed Dantoro, represented by the Waziri of Borgu, Alhaji Nuhu Saadu, stated that the project would create wealth for his entire community and improve inter trade relationship with border communities.

Dantoro assured the government of the emirate’s unflinching support for the realisation of the project at Babaana in Borgu Emirate Council, Niger State.

The Emir prayed for God’s intervention in bringing lasting peace to the country.

Also speaking, Mrs Caroline Adepoju, Assistant Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) expressed commitment of the NIS to ensure security within the service’s statutory roles and strengthen the prosperity by providing efficient and visa services to the people.

Adepoju solicited for the support of the technical committee to provide the service with necessary facilities to ensure its role at the trans-border markets.

The Trans-National Border market is a place where more than one nation trade their goods and services for mutual benefits of each country.

The basic facilities expected to be in the border and regional markets among others include warehouses, Banking, Insurance and Lock-up shops.

Others include Bureau de change, Hotels/Motels, Restaurants, Parking lots, Mechanic workshops, security posts, Customs/Immigration posts, petrol service station, Fire service station, medical Centre, administrative block of the market among others.

It would be recalled that the Technical committee which was constituted in 2008 by the Ministry for the establishment of trans National border and regional market in Nigeria identified visible markets for development in the Six Geo-Political zones.

The blue print also identified the roles of the three tiers of government for the success of the six transnational border and regional markets, while the ministry is to provide the legal framework, enabling environment and administrative guidance for the projects.