Yemisi Izuora
The interim chairman of the African Manufacturers Association, AMA, Engr Mansur Ahmed, who is also the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), has described the body as key Platform that will help transform trade in the continent.
Ahmed was recently appointed the Interim Chairman of the Committee to evolve the African Manufacturers Association (AMA).
This followed an announcement by the Commissioner of Trade, African Union Commission (AUC), Albert Muchanga at the just concluded Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) which held in Cairo, Egypt.
The role of the Chairman is to supervise the process of working out the modalities of the Association, in conjunction with other members, including drafting Articles of Association for the body in preparation for its inauguration next year.
In addition, the Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr Segun Ajayi-Kadir and the Head of Kenya Association of Manufacturers Consulting, Joyce Njogu were appointed as joint interim Secretaries to drive the process.
While accepting the role, Engr Ahmed stated that he and other members of his Committee will commence work on engaging all the manufacturers Associations across Africa to mid-wife the birth of the Pan-African body. According to him, “now is the time for the private sector to come together to tackle the challenges that hinder intra African trade”.
The African Manufacturers Association Interim Chairman further said that the platform of the Association will enable manufacturers in Africa to engage, know and work with each other better which will bring about inclusive growth in Africa.
The African Union Commissioner inaugurating the Interim Council of the Association, noted that establishing the Association is a direct fallout of the initiative of the African Union to promote and deepen Intra- African Trade in goods and services.
The official inauguration of the African Manufacturers Association is expected to hold before or during the African Industrialization Day in November 2019.
More so, the Association becomes very necessary as the vision of African countries towards intra-African trade must be fully and effectively implemented with the cooperation of individual African countries particularly their Private Sector.