By DADA AYOKHAI
Few months after her unexpected exit from Governor Godwin Obaseki’s cabinet as commissioner of Business, Trade and Co-operatives, the good deeds of Hon. Afie Braimoh still reverberate around the world.
The demand for the “Made in Edo” products, a policy she created and promoted with so much passion and zeal during her highly impactful but short-lived tenure, has continued to soar beyond expectations.
The surge in the demand for these goods, even from far-flung continents, is a testimony to her stellar performance as a commissioner.
Borderline News24 gathered that in recent times, there has been an upsurge in the demand for “Made in Edo” goods from foreign countries including Kenya, Europe and USA.
Further reports told our business correspondent that the “surge in the demand” for the “Made in Edo” goods was the outcome of the aggressive promotional campaign undertaken during the tenure of the former commissioner.
One of the local exporters who cashed in on the “export window” created by the ex-commissioner to grow his business described her as the “peoples commissioner”, insisting further that she was the one who orchestrated whatever mileage “Made in Edo” goods are beginning to enjoy in the global market.
The Edo Export Cluster is on the brinks of making history by making her first official shipment to the United States which is a fallout of Hon Braimoh’s visit as commissioner with Miami State Commissioners, and also showcasing “Made In Edo” products at the annual Florida International Trade & Cultural Expo.
Through a structured series of match-making buyers events, the Edo Exporters clusters have received their first order from one of the largest African food retailers in Miami, Florida.
Again, the former commissioner
recently delivered Zara’s accessories owned by an 11year old Edo State MSME who was discovered during the 2022 NASSI Trade Fair in Lagos which was organized by the Commissioner just four months into her tenure as Commissioner.
She recently started training on export programs mostly for women exporters including packaging, nutritional labels, content and also certifications with the aim to ensure that Proudly Edo Products get certified, meet the export requirements and also empower our exporters to build capacity, collaborate and create Trade in the global market.
Besides, the proudly Edo products, her brain child before exiting office, is doing well. Many of the products, proudly labeled in Edo colours, are being carefully processed and packaged ready to be shipped to some African countries where demands for such products has soared in recent time.
The Export cluster has just concluded plans to ship samples of Proudly Made in Edo Products to (2) Trade houses created by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council. Another first for the newly re-constituted council with the Hon as lifetime member of the Board of Trustees.
According to her, the cluster must trade under AFCTA and the global market. We will have a presence in all the Trade houses. We must trade beyond borders to reap the rewards of rhe resources we are blessed with in Edo State.
The former commissioner has on several fora drummed support for the uplifting of the Edo MSME through policy creation and programs such as the Farm to Table Program in line with her promise during her Screening at the state House of Assembly for commissioner ship.
The world is already feeling the heartbeat of her impact in the State both in and out of office as commissioner.
Since her departure, however, there has been no dull moment for the affable former commissioner.
For instance, she has been busy with other business-related activities. Not too long, Hon. Braimoh was one of the resource persons at the Benue Agric Summit held in Makurdi, Benue State.
Hon Braimoh urges all Edo State MSMEs to focus on quality branding and packaging for the global market. The future is in exports.
