Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, expressed his concerns regarding the decline in the export of primary products from Africa to other regions of the world.
Read Also: Reasons why Igbo community should back and protect Tinubu’s government- Benjamin Kalu
During his visit to the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in Geneva, Kalu sought the cooperation of the WTO in enhancing the exportation of primary products from Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
Kalu highlighted the challenges faced by African businessmen in marketing their products, particularly due to aflatoxins that contaminate the goods before reaching their destinations.
He specifically mentioned the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which offers duty-free treatment to goods from designated sub-Saharan African countries, as a framework that poses difficulties for African exporters.
Kalu urged the WTO to establish treatment centers in Africa to address the decontamination of primary products intended for export.
He emphasized the importance of reducing aflatoxin levels in African products to meet quality standards and enhance their marketability.
Kalu inquired about the WTO’s interest and involvement in such initiatives and requested information on any existing programs.
