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The umbrella body for manufacturers, importers, exporters, traders and other related organisations in the country, Value Chain Traders Organization of Nigeria (VACTON), has inaugurated its national and state officers, as well as held a special seminar for its members.
President/BOT chairman of the association, Amb. Dr. Ralph John, presenting an address at the event, held on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, said VACTON was established “on 9th day of October 2018, under the common seal of the Corporate Affairs Commission,’ with the aim of trade facilitation and elimination of business malpractices.
“Since then, we have established a temporary office in the FCT Abuja. We have designed a comprehensive website through which the world will access us. A constitution is in place for members. Appointments are ongoing as you will realize, our uniform and the Special Task force are in place. And the need to get the public to know that VACTON has come to stay is now.
“What are the aims and objectives of VACTON? It includes promoting and educating people in trade policies even to the National Assembly, agencies and multilateral organizations,” he said.
Amb. Dr. John added that the association champions broader measures for promoting global value chain in the ECOWAS common industries policy, promotes education on international trade compliance as well as provides information concerning government regulations with the aim of avoiding unnecessary clash between government and stakeholders.
“The Value Chain Traders’ Organization shall reduce corruption on areas of operation of Value Chain traders on land, sea, air and at the borders. VACTON shall assist diaspora members of the association. We shall establish contact with various government agencies concerning the activities of Value Chain traders, and also promote agricultural revolution and enhance multiple employments.
“Our special task force has the mandate to stop illegal business practices damaging the image of Nigeria. They shall go into anti-smuggling of drugs and fake products which endanger people’s health. With good intelligence and global best practices this shall be possible,” he said.
Delivering a lecture on ‘Value Chain Operation in the Nigerian Economy – Emphasis on Petroleum and Agricultural (Cassava) Sectors,’ Archbishop Dr Elkanah Hanson lamented Nigeria’s apparent failure to take advantage of the opportunities and value chain potentials available in the oil and gas industry.
Such failure, he said, is replicating itself in the agricultural sector, especially in cassava production, which is capable of putting millions of unemployed Nigerians to work.
Manager of the Rivers Port, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Alhaji Umar Abubakar Garba, represented by the head, Traffic Control, described the setting up of VACTON as an innovation that is laudable and capable of taking the sector forward.
He noted that the need for a synergy between the public and private sectors cannot be overstated, as he urged VACTON to see itself as a partner in progress towards enhancing the development of the maritime sector.