The Cross River State Ministry of Commerce has concluded its statewide stakeholder engagement for the development of a comprehensive Trade Policy, with the final consultative meeting held at the Ogoja Council Hall in the Northern Senatorial District.
The engagement, which covered the state’s three senatorial districts, forms part of efforts by the government to adopt a bottom-up approach to policy formulation by incorporating the views of key stakeholders, including traders, producers, transporters, market leaders, business associations, and local government representatives.
Declaring the session open, the Commissioner for Commerce, Hon. Dr. Mrs. Abigail Duke, said the initiative aligns with the administration’s “People First” agenda, aimed at addressing the needs of citizens, particularly grassroots economic actors.
She noted that the consultations reflect the government’s commitment to developing a Trade Policy that is inclusive, practical, and implementable.
During the technical session, the Executive Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Kenneth Asim Itah, presented the proposed policy pillars, highlighting areas such as strengthening trade regulation, promoting local enterprise development, improving market access, supporting value addition, and enhancing the state’s participation in national and regional trade.
Stakeholders at the meeting identified major challenges affecting trade in the state, including transportation difficulties, inadequate market infrastructure, regulatory bottlenecks, and the need to protect local businesses.
Participants also recommended the inclusion of an additional policy pillar to address security concerns in trading environments, stressing the importance of safeguarding goods, traders, and transport routes for sustainable economic growth.
In her closing remarks, the Chairman of the Trade Policy Development Committee, Prof. Susana Ben Ohen, commended stakeholders for their contributions and assured them that their inputs would be reviewed and incorporated into the final policy document.
The meeting attracted participants from across the Northern Senatorial District, including representatives of local government councils, market associations, transport unions, farmers’ groups, business communities, and traditional institutions.
Also speaking, the Secretary of Ogoja Local Government Council, who represented the council chairman, lauded the state government for taking the consultation process to the grassroots and pledged support for the implementation of the policy.
With the conclusion of the Ogoja meeting, the Ministry has completed the statewide consultation phase and is set to begin the final drafting and validation of the Cross River State Trade Policy, aimed at strengthening trade regulation, promoting local enterprise, and driving economic growth across the state.
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