CISLAC Seeks for economic Cooperation between South South States

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar 

Civil Society legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) is seeking for economic Cooperation between South South States to unlock economic prosperity in the Niger Delta region.

The Executive Director, CISLAC,  Auwal Ibrahim Musa, who spoke to newsmen in Calabar during the stakeholders engagement workshop, stated that the gathering of these three States, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Rivers States as pilot states.

He added that the initiative is aimed at Unlocking Economic Prosperity in the Niger Delta through trade facilitation, agricultural value chain development, and policy engagement for ease of doing business, tax and levies harmonization.

He stated that Nigeria, with a single economic entity, often experience internal trade barriers between its constituent states that mirror international tariffs.

In the South-South geopolitical zone, the neighboring states of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Rivers states form a geographically contiguous and economically significant corridor. 

Rafsanjani maintained that historically, these states have shared deep socio-cultural ties and complementary economic strengths from agriculture in Cross River to the industrial and oil and gas hubs in Akwa Ibom and Rivers.

He however lamented that the full potentials of this regional bloc has been significantly hampered by a fragmented and often predatory tax and levy system at state borders. 

For decades, businesses, transporters, and traders operating across these three states have faced considerable obstacles that stifle economic growth and efficiency. 

Stressing that Multiple taxation, inconsistent levies, and bureaucratic bottlenecks have created a complex and unpredictable cost structure

In his keynote address at the workshop, the Speaker, Cross river State House of Assembly,. Elvert Ayambem, who was represented by Chairman finance and appropriation, Okon Owuna said the major focus of the workshop is to seek for regional economic cooperation between Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River States. 

He stated that these three States,  share so much in common, ranging from language, culture and even common interest, adding that there should not be reason for any form of barrier to share economic growth,  through integration of common interest.

According to him, “It is worthy of mention that these States, though distinct, can grow faster If they come together to develop common grounds of economic growth”.