The Minister of Trade and State Industry and Enterprises Mr. David Carew yesterday informed participants of a two days session on National Coordinating Committee on Trade NCCT that there is a need to sensitized the general public on the importance and functions of NCCT , pointing out that , ECOWAS should consider a nation wide sensitization targeting the local councils.
The Minister stated the reactivation and the revitalization of NCCT should be able to collaborate with other line ministries and actors for the coordination of private sector activities, conduct a national trade and industrial survey for Sierra Leone, to aid planning and other stakeholders needs and to develop policies and programmes to stimulate local and export trade and to enhance investment and economic growth in the country.
He said, government would very much depends on the committee as the ‘think tank’ for government, for important advice , he therefore requested members of the committee to be ready and responsive to them whenever government called on them , noting that the composition of the committee needs to be expanded to include other stakeholders such as business people and other actors in the informal sector, so that they might not feel neglected and would be opportune to contribute to the nation’s economy.
He revealed that the session was funded by the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS as a result of a project proposal submitted by his ministry for the purpose of establishing an NCCT secretariat within his ministry and to raise awareness in Freetown and the provinces.
“I believe that the session has to be put in a broader context in order for us to have a fuller appreciation of its importance. The broader context is the role of trade in Sierra Leone’s development and poverty efforts in general” the Minister said.
He expressed optimism that the out come of the session would enhance and broaden the Knowledge of participants of the NCCT and its operations in general on the importance of trade policy in national development, the role of coherence and synergy in trade policy formulation and implementation.
“I am of the view that at the end of the session participants should have been able to know the real issues on trade in Sierra Leone and the role and functions of multilateral trading organizations” the minister noted.
By Solomon Rogers
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