The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has announced plans by his administration to set up Export Processing Zones in the state.

Receivingmembers of the state Exporters Cluster who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Benin City, Obasekidecried the dominance of import trade in the nation’s economy.

He said that considering the low prices of crude oil in the international market, more investments should be in the non-oil sector.

“We promised to create 200,000 jobs and the jobs will come from the private sector. We are investing in infrastructure, especially electricity and we plan to locate industrial parks where business clusters would thrive. Our goal is to be an enabler for businesses to thrive and not invest in business ventures,” he said.

The Governor assured the group that his administration would provide them land where products such as cassava and yam would be processed for export and commended the well packaged products made by the cluster members.

He added that the planned Edo Business Bureau would be situated close to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and would provide business information as well as fast-track business transactions in the state.

Earlier, the sate coordinator of the group, Ms Josephine Peters had said their visit was to solicit the state government’s support in the promotion of export business.

Peters further said the association was established by the Benin Zonal Office of NEPC in 2014 to identify and encourage value addition to products from the non-oil sector in the state for export purposes.

•Co-ordinator, Edo State Exporters Cluster, Ms Josephine Rhone Peter showing Governor Godwin Obaseki some of the export products produced in Edo State during a meeting with the governor on August 8, 2017 at the Government House in Benin City.