Chime grants premium waiver

To encourage business promotion in the South East, Enugu state government, is ready to grant a premium waiver on the permanent site of the Enugu international Trade Fair.
It is only waiting for an application from Enugu Chamber of Commerce to enable it issue a Certificate of Occupancy on the new trade fair site along Enugu Onitsha Highway.
The promise was made at the weekend by Governor Sullivan Chime, through Dr Jude Akubilo, the state commissioner for Commerce and Industry, who represented him at the opening ceremony of the 26th Enugu International Trade Fair.
The governor also cleared the issue surrounding multiple taxation, which has been the nagging age-long headache of the business community, in which businesses pay similar taxes to agents of different layers of government.
On the question of a Free Trade Zone for the Southeast, the governor said that several free trade zones exist all over the nation except in the Southeast, President Jonathan should take advantage of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu and correct the oversight by approving Enugu for a Southeast free Trade Zone.
Insisting that Enugu “is the safest place to do business in Nigeria, Chime said all taxes payable by individuals and businesses in the state would be drawn up on a sheet of paper and made available to the ministry of commerce.
“Anybody collecting money outside the list would be doing so outside the law and when caught, would be punished for the offence”, he assured.
He also questioned the rational behind the 100% on electricity tariff charge by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company saying that the zone is the only place with such outrageous tariff whereas places like Lagos have minimal increases.
He therefore called on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to regulate the activities of all the DISCOS to ensure that uniform tariffs apply in all the zones.
In his own speech, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr Olusegun Aganga, represented by the Director of Trade and Investment in the ministry, Mr. Felix Oyakilome Asikpata, said, there should be a situation where each of the 36 states will distinguish itself with the production of at least one product.
“That way, you create more employment for the teeming army of unemployed Nigerians”, he pointed out.
In his own speech at the ceremony, the president of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Dr Ifanyi Okoye, said that despite all the challenges facing the council in hosting the fairs in the new complex, five fairs have been held successfully.