LCCI holds dialogue session on economic integration in W/Africa

By ANDREW OJIEZEL

THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has announced the its plan to hold dialogue session on challenges of economic integration in West Africa aimed at examining the current status of the sub-region’s economic integration policies in line with the developments in the global economy.

The dialogue session, according to LCCI, is scheduled to hold on Tuesday, 12th July, 2016 at Commerce House, 1, Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island, Lagos by 10am.

LCCI, the leading voice in the organised private sector (OPS), according to the Director General, Muda Yusuf, “After over four decades of the existence of ECOWAS, trade relations amongst West African countries have remained at a very low level. This is as a result of several gaps and weak commitment to the trade protocols among member states. The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the Premier Chamber of Commerce in West Africa, as part of its Government and International Relations engagement will host this event to provide a platform for deliberations on the key issues”.

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Yusuf further stressed that, “This platform will enable stakeholders to deliberate on economic policies of ECOWAS Member-States, their strength and weakness, multilateral and bilateral trade agreement, ECOWAS trade protocols, how they affect the sub-region’s economic relations with others and make recommendations where necessary”.

Yusuf also emphasized that Seasoned Professionals, Business Leaders, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and top Public Sector Officials will be available to dialogue with participants at the event. Notable among whom are, Honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi as Special Guest of Honour and Dr. Joy Kategekwa, Head, Regional Office for Africa, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Addis Ababa, who will be Guest Speaker at the event.

Likewise, the President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI),Chief Mrs. Nike Akande has again advocated an urgent need to explore alternative models of power provision which focuses on diversification of energy sources and decentralization of power supply channels in the country.

She spoke at a press conference in Lagos where she also lamented high dependence on gas pipelines from the Niger delta is characterized by high vulnerability risks which the economy and the citizens can no longer bear.

She also said there is need to review the current framework/model with a view to finding a sustainable solution to the current challenges in the sector.