AiDO urges use of expertise to enhance Intra-African commerce

By Taiye Olayemi

AiDO Network International, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has urged Africans at dwelling and within the diaspora to leverage expertise to enhance Intra-African commerce.

Paul Egenda, Global President, AIDO Network International, made the decision through the NGO’s sixth Annual International Convention and Royal Summit, held in Lagos.

The theme of the occasion is “Increasing Trade Relationships Between African Countries and Within the Global African Community”.

Egenda stated expertise have to be embraced within the space of making seamless telecommunication community throughout African nations in addition to roads and airways.

He suggested that to encourage Intra-African commerce, Africans should additionally uphold cultural trade programmes; organise commerce mission and exhibitions incessantly; spend money on capability constructing and beneficial coverage advocacy.

“Today, we stand united in a mission to foster financial empowerment, drive innovation, and break down the borders that separate us.

“We envision African companies thriving throughout continents, African merchandise transferring freely throughout borders, and African concepts shaping industries worldwide.

“AiDO’s mission goes past connection, it’s a mission of empowerment, a promise to construct a thriving financial system that features each group right here on the continent and within the diaspora.

“So, we advise on leveraging technology to achieve seamless trade with the African continent as well as making favourable policies to encourage trade,” he stated.

Earlier, Mr Femi Pedro, Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, expressed fear that Intra-African commerce had been grossly beneath developed.

According to Pedro, it’s the impact of colonialism as Africans don’t take delight of their merchandise, perceiving identical as been inferior to the western merchandise.

“Africa with ample provide of pure assets, fertile soil, no pure disasters just like the western nations, we will leverage these alternatives to enhance commerce inside the continent.

“Trading amongst ourselves will give room for growth of commerce, we should be conversant with the coverage of the African Continental Free Trade Area which is progressively gaining impact.

“We are smart and intelligent. It is time our leaders become pan-African. We can build our own railways, mine our resources and utilise them oureslves,” he stated.

Also, Oba Kolade Oladipupo, Olupoti of Ipoti-Ekiti, famous that so much wanted to be accomplished in encouraging funding.

Oladipupo pledged to work extra on attracting traders to his area as he known as on Africans within the diaspora to retrace their steps again to their roots.

Similarly, Queen Vickylextar Okang, Governing Head, Omanye Royal Kingdom, Ghana, urged Africans to be deliberate in selling their merchandise.

Prof. Simon Eweje, Chairman, Courier and Logistics Management Institute, stated, “If Africa should rise once more, we should return to the fundamentals of commonality, integrity and belief, we should start to see ourselves as brothers and sisters.

“A return to integrity will make entrepreneurship fruitful and thrive in Africa.”

Violet Smith, a Canadian skilled Geologist, harped on the necessity for African leaders to start to spend money on capability constructing for teens, to be taught the rudiments of mining and the potential within the enormous mineral assets in Africa.

“A current examine revealed that within the final 800 years, many issues has modified however the exploitation of Africa’s resouces has not modified.

“Africa has sufficient pure assets that nobody must be poor.

“We have to get our children ready to exploit the natural resources, we have to cooperate with one another, have our children at the forefront of exploiting these resources. We have to be serious now, we are in a new age of sporafic development,” she stated.

Chief Dion Hayes, President, DIA logistics Inc. urged African leaders to take deliberate steps in encouraging Africans stay patriotic, jettison all types of western affect and promote African merchandise.

Also, Prince Bimbo Folayan, AIDO Nigeria Board of Trustee Chairman, famous that the essence of the convention was to mobilise funding again to Africa via conventional leaders throughout the continent.

“We want to introduce businesses to communities through traditional leaders, we are looking at encouraging them to assist intending investors by way of creating enabling environment for businesses to thrive within the communities,” he stated. (NAN) (nannews.ng)