GOODWILL MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT, BADAGRY CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE INDUSTRY MINES AND AGRICULTURE (BACCIMA) ALHAJI FATAI ADEGBOYEGA
SHOKUNBI AT THE BADAGRY FEDERATION FORUM FOR DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL DINNER WITH
ELECTED AND APPOINTED POLITICAL OFFICE HOLDERS FROM BADAGRY REPRESENTED BY THE FIRST DEPUTY PRESIDENT DCC OLADIRAN IDRIS (RTD.).
Honorable
Olusegun Adeniran Onilude
Executive
Chairman, Badagry Local Government.
Honorable
Samson Olatunde
Executive
Chairman of Olorunda LCDA.
Honorable
Gbenu Henugbe Joseph,
Executive
Chairman, Badagry West LCDA.
Bar. Abimbola
Salu-Hundeyin,
Secretary to
the State Government, Lagos State.
Honorable
Sesi Oluwaseun Whingan.
Deputy
Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream)
Member HOR,
Representing the Badagry Federal Constituency.
Honorable
Engr. Setonji David
Constituency:
Badagry II
Honorable
Bonu Solomon Saanu
Constituency:
Badagry I
Honorable
Ibrahim Layode,
Commissioner
for Home Affairs and Culture.
Honorable
Ogunlende Mobolaji
Commissioner
for Youths and Social Development.
His Majesty,
De Wheno Aholu Menu Toyi 1, OFR, LL.D, DLITT, JP.
The Akran of
Badagry Kingdom.
Represented
by: Prince Adeyemi Seyon Akran
His Royal
Majesty, Oba Oyekan Adekanmi Ilufemiloye,
Alapa of Apa
Kingdom.
His Royal
Majesty, Oba Dr Oladele Kosoko (JP)
Oniworo of
Iworo-Awori Kingdom.
Mr. Saka
Bamidele,
Convener,
Badagry Federation Forum for Development
Members of
the 4th Estate of the realm,
Invited
Guests,
Ladies and
Gentlemen.
INTRODUCTION
I begin by congratulating the great people of Badagry, Lagos
State, on the successes attained together in the present dispensation in
governance at the national and especially at the state level and present you
the compliments of the Badagry Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and
Agriculture (BACCIMA).
BACCIMA, a non-profit organization, is established for the
promotion and, protection of Trade and Industry and to effectively represent
the interests of the business community in the Badagry division of Lagos State
and Nigeria at large.
We are one of the most active City-Chambers in Nigeria today,
armed with a commitment to change the narrative of trade in our region, doing
so with all the relevant stakeholders, locally, nationally and internationally.
In our five years (5) of existence as a City Chamber, we have
strengthened our goals of improving the business climate in Badagry and to
bring about a mutual coexistence of stakeholders under an atmosphere of peace
and tranquility.
PROGRAMS
& PROJECTS.
SSICBT
As a Chamber, our programs geared towards achieving these set
objectives that are on-going, includes the Small-Scale Informal Cross-Border
Trade (SSICBT) in collaboration with the Nigeria Embassy in Benin Republic, the
Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Customs Service, all other Border
Security Management Agencies, the traditional institutions, the Communities,
ECOWAS, IoM and relevant organizations like the NACCIMA, CCI Benin and FEWACCI.
The general aim of the SSICBT is to improve formal small-scale
cross-border trade flows, leading to higher revenue generation at the borders,
regular migration, as well as higher incomes for small-scale cross-border
traders. SSICBT forms a significant part of ECOWAS (intra-regional) trade
regime; that can lead in providing legitimate jobs and empowering women and
youth in cross-border communities not factored into formal trade, a gap which
needs to be taken very seriously. The specific objective is to facilitate
small-scale cross-border trade flows between Benin Republic and Nigeria through
synergy in governance, institutional capacity building, improved border
infrastructures, better data collection and monitoring in furtherance of ECOWAS
Protocols (1975/1979/1999) relating to free movement of persons, goods and
services.
NIGERIA
- BENIN PERMANENT JOINT COMMISSION (NBJC)
Our drive for actualization of the establishment of the proposed
the Nigeria - Benin Permanent Joint Commission (NBJC) by Nigeria and Benin
Republic is gathering momentum.
The Permanent Joint Commission will be is akin to the Nigeria –Niger
Joint Commission, Nigeria-Cameroun Joint Commission, Nigeria-Chad Commission
& Nigeria-Sao Tome & Principe Joint Commission will immensely
contribute to the economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Republic du
Benin.
Meetings towards actualization of the establishment of the Joint
Commission has held in Abuja (The meeting held with the Foreign Affairs
ministry, superintended and chaired by the former Minister of foreign affairs
Honorable Geoffrey JK Onyeama; the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, his officials and Officials of Nigeria Investment Promotion
Commission (NIPC) ), Chikanda and Cotonou with members drawn from both
countries.
Through the intervention of the BACCIMA, the Commission secured
an office in Badagry, at Hunwaji Halls for the easy coordination of its
activities.
Upon establishment, the Commission will improve trade ties
between Nigeria and Republic Du Benin to facilitate trade and the ease of doing
business. Additionally, it would accelerate economic growth and co-operation as
was done in the years past which led to the joint establishment of Onigolo
Cement Industry (now privatized) and the Sugar Company in Save by the
Government of Nigeria and Benin Republic. It is important to note, that
socio-cultural benefits of people living in both countries who have origins
dating back before 15th Nov. 1884 and 26th Feb. 1885 Berlin Conference, which
partitioned Africa will continue despite the Francophone and Anglophone divide
and influence that exist in both countries and their people.
The discovery of Oil through OML 113 (OPL 309) (Aje Oil and Gas
fields), being operated by Folawiyo Oil in Benin-Basin offshore Badagry (40km
west of Lagos), has made Maritime, Oil and Gas collaboration compelling.
Furthermore, collaboration by both countries in the area of
Security, elimination and if possible, reduction of cross-border banditry,
smuggling of all sorts, including radio-active materials, petroleum products,
rice, ammunition etc. will be more robust.
The gains and benefits of establishing Nigeria-Benin Permanent
Joint Commission by both countries would provide jobs to the teeming unemployed
Nigerian youth and women in their large number.
Finally, the Joint Commission when established, will enhance and
deepen the existing relations between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
MEMORANDUM
OF UNDERSTANDING WITH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY BENIN (CCI BENIN).
History was made when the Badagry Chamber of Commerce Industry
Mines and Agriculture (BACCIMA) at an epoch-making event held at the iconic
ECOWAS Building at Seme Border signed an MoU with the national Chamber of
Commerce of another sovereign nation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Benin, Benin Republic on the 6th, of July 2023.
This marked the beginning of our international recognition that
has set the tone for collaboration with more foreign Chambers of Commerce along
the West African coast seeking to take advantage of our lofty plans for the
Lagos-Abidjan Corridor and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
It would interest you to note that Badagry is the bridge between
the West and Central African Trade Route.
ESTABLISHMENT
OF BADAGRY INDUSTRIAL PARK.
The future prosperity of Badagry must be hinge on the need for
our drive to include attracting direct investment and growth into our region.
As a result, we are presently at an advanced stage with some organizations to
establish the Badagry Industrial Park (BIP) dedicated to the energy of the
future and eco-friendly products. This will in no small measures provide job
opportunities for our people and account for a large percentage of the local
economy GDP when actualized. We are very mindful of Badagry being a major
tourist destination in Nigeria and so think more towards the direction of eco-friendly
products.
A former Minister of Defense of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Prince Adetokunbo Ademola has already paid a visit to BACCIMA to commence
discussions towards the realization of the Project. In company of Prince
Adetokunbo Ademola we presented this lofty plans to His Majesty, De Wheno Aholu
Menu Toyi 1, OFR, LL.D, DLITT, JP. The Akran of Badagry Kingdom who gave us his
blessings and approval praying for the success of the project. In no distant
time we will be hosting Prince Adetokunbo Ademola again along with the Managing
Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA), the Executive
Director of Federation of West Africa Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(FEWACCI), Ambassador Amin Akadiri and the Abuja Chamber of Commerce (ACCI) to
finalize the details.
FORIGN
TRAVELLING OPPOURTUNITIES FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
BACCIMA has established strong ties with several foreign
embassies in Nigeria and have commenced programs of securing business visa for
genuine businessmen and women looking to expand the frontiers of their business
globally.
DEMANDS
FOR SUPPORT AND GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION.
We would like to state that we are indeed very grateful for the
unalloyed support we have received from everyone who have over the years contributed
in no small measure to the setting up of this Chamber and has continued to
water its progress working tirelessly day and night to achieve all that is
being read out here today.
It may interest you to also note that this Chamber has never
received any grants from either local or foreign bodies and the government,
despite the huge costs of running its affairs, but rely on the subscriptions,
gifts and donations by members to keep things working. An organization like
ours, looking to champion the development of the populace, attract growth to
the region, engender continuous economic prosperity, championing advocacy for
business-friendly legislation and ease of doing business, we need the support
of every one of our representatives at all levels of government to achieve the
desired aim to the benefit of all.
We would like to appeal to you all to use your good offices to
come to the aid of the Chamber in investment and funding and more especially to
appeal to His Excellency to as a priority allocate a yearly subvention to the
Badagry Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (BACCIMA) and
donation of operational vehicles to ease the logistics challenges of the
Chamber. Many states across the federation have continued to support their
State and City Chambers of Commerce because of the impact they help create in
their respective domain and the visible results in creation of job and
attraction of investment to the state.
CONCLUSION.
The arrangements are at an advanced stage and in the coming
weeks, Badagry Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (BACCIMA)
will sign a Bilateral MoU with CCI Togo, the national Chamber of Commerce of
the Republic of Togo.
History will be kind to you all as you align with this very
progressive step and working with us to have a Badagry, that would experience
speedy economic growth and prosperity for the good of our people.
While
thanking you most profoundly, kindly accept as always, the assurance of my
esteemed regards.
Alhaji Fatai Adegboyega Shokunbi,
Ex-Officio (NACCIMA)
President/Chairman Executive Council
(BACCIMA)
14th October 2023
