By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disclosed plans to key into the federal government’s zero oil plan to boost job creation and empowerment of families.
This was disclosed by the Minister of State for FCT, Mrs Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, during the third technical meeting of the National Committee on Export Promotion (NCEP) held in Abuja on Wednesday.
She explained that the administration had resolved to strategize on the one-state-one product initiative whereby each state of the federation and the FCT is to choose a product and an alternate one.
Mrs Aliyu, who was represented by the permanent secretary of FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, stated that FCT had chosen shea butter and handicraft under the scheme to better lives in rural areas.
He said the plan would link the rural communities with the national export value-chain and facilitate growth through job creation and empowerment.
Mr Adesola said, “The FCTA has resolved to key into the zero oil plan especially its strategic components; the one-state-one product initiative which FCT is not an exception.”
He said the initiative was in line with the Federal Government Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, and the sustainability plan.
“FCT has chosen sheabutter and handicraft because of the comparative and competitive advantage in cultivation, production and processing to create jobs,” he said.
According to him, Shea is a high economic impact export product that trades globally, an average $ 200 million annually.
He said Nigeria’s current export value is $5 million but the zero oil plan potential and the target is $ 100 million, saying the FCT desires to leverage on to create jobs and drive inclusion by exploring the inherent potential presented by this sub-sector, for the export market.
Through the implementation of the zero-oil plan, which comprises of non-oil commodities, the federal government earlier this year disclosed that it is targeting an additional $150 billion to the foreign reserves in the next 10 years.
Modupe Gbadeyanka