The Shippers’ Association made the call in a communiqué
issued at the end of its maiden meeting with Leaders of Trades and Commodity
Associations on Friday in Lokoja.
The Communiqué was signed by the Association’s president, Mr
Habuh-Rajan Suleiman and the secretary, Mr Donarus Okpe.
It said the establishment of the centre had become
imperative, considering the need for diversification of the economy.
The Communiqué held that Kogi had the potential to be an
industrialised and commercial-oriented state like Lagos, Ogun, Abia and Kano
States.
According to the Communiqué, all that is needed is for the
government to support businessmen willing to go into processing agricultural
goods and other exportable items from the state.
It, therefore, reiterated the need for synergy between the
Nigerian Shippers’ Council, government and Kogi State Shippers’ Association to
create opportunities for maximising the abundant mineral and agricultural
resources of the state.
The Association also said there was need to integrate Kogi
State into the export-related businesses, and called for collaboration between
government and the organised private sector.
The Communiqué urged members of various Trades and Commodity
Associations to register with the Association (on whose platform they would be
assisted to grow) in view of the benefits they would derive.
The communiqué said the benefits included accessing support
services as well as protection of investments of Nigerian shippers against
foreign exploitation and arbitrary charges of shipping service providers.
It added that the membership of Kogi State Shippers’
Association had been reactivated and strengthened to benefit owners of small
and medium-sized companies.
The Association equally called on members who took loans from
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure prompt repayment of such facilities.
“There are indications that the increasing army of
defaulters may hinder prospective applicants from the state despite new and
numerous opportunities in CBN,” he said.