Trade and market are at the heart of Ecowas’ aims and objectives. Article (3) of the Revised Treaty of Ecowas stipulates the removal of trade barriers and harmonization of trade policies for the establishment of a free Area, Customs Union, a common market and an eventual culmination in to a monetary and economic union in West Africa.

Article 3 of the Ecowas revised treaty highlights one of the main objectives of Ecowas as promoting economic integration in the region by, among others, creating a common market. One essential step towards realizing the objective was setting up the Ecowas Trade Liberalization scheme (ETLS). The ETLS is a tool to facilitate the working of the free Trade Area. It ensures that goods can be circulated freely without the payment of Customs Duties, taxes, prohibitions, quotas or any such restrictions with similar effects on imports. It also includes putting in place measures aimed at facilitating trade by reducing Red Tape and paperwork at borders.

The ETLS came into existence first in 1979 and only covered agricultural goods and artisan handcrafted products at that point. However, in 1990, it was expanded to include industrial goods. The following categories of goods can benefit from ETLS, provided they originate from the Ecowas region:

 Agricultural goods

 Livestock

 Unprocessed goods

 Artisan handcrafts

 Industrial goods.

RULES OF ORIGIN

If an importer wants to trade industrial goods duty free within the region; he/she needs an ETLS Certificate of origin. To get this certificate, the products must comply with one of the following rules called the Rules of Origin. These rules determine whether an industrial product can be classified as originating from the Ecowas region.

Rule 1: Whole Produced Goods

Goods are regarded as wholly produced within the Ecowas, if at least 60% of their raw materials used in their production originate from the ECOWAS region.

Rule 2: Change in Tariff Heading

The World Customs Organization has developed a Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System known as the HS System which provides a standardized system for classifying traded products for the purpose of charging customs duty, although every country is allowed to charge its own tariff rate. The HS system uses number codes to classify products under different chapters, headings and subheadings. An exporter’s finished product will fall under a specific ‘Chapter’ and ‘Heading’ and in some cases a ‘Sub-heading’ in the HS coding system. If the finished product was manufactured with the exclusive use of materials which is classified under a different ‘Heading’ from the finished product, it can be traded duty free.

Rule 3: A harmonized ECOWAS/UEMOA Certificate of Origin is given to exporters as proof of origin and is issued by an appointed recognized institution in each member state. In Nigeria, the National Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) is responsible for issuing the Certificate of Origin.

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN IN (CoO) NIGERIA

1. The importer obtains an application form from NACCIMA.

2. The exporter fills the CoO application form providing details of his/her enterprise and the export transaction for which the CoO is sought.

3. The form is submitted along with supporting documents and documents and payment of processing fees to NACCIMA.

4. A CoO is issued to the exporter upon verification and approval by the National Approvals Committee.

The only allowable payment on this scheme is the payment of the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS), which is 1% of Freight on Board (FOB) value; and ETLS Levy which is 0.5% x Cost of imported items, insurance value and freight (CIF) charge.

As new-age appliances get slimmer and more compact, it opens up opportunities to use them in aesthetically pleasing ways. The same holds true for flat-screen, smart TVs.

You can now browse the internet, read or watch the news, or enjoy your favorite reality TV show all on the same device! In this age of binge-watching, it would be criminal to miss out on any opportunity that you may get to catch up on shows and more.

With so much entertainment, and so little space at homes (and so little time), one needs to find unique, creative, and unusual TV mounts to install their TV.

So, if you are looking for inspiration, check these out:

Unique Places to Mount Your TV

Here are some unusual TV mounts that are borderline genius:

In the Living Room

How can the living room, one of the commonest TV places, be a spot for unusual TV mounts? It’s all about positioning!

For instance, you can mount your TV inside a bookcase or a showcase.Alternatively, you can hide it behind a piece of art or mount it on a hinge that can flip the screen over! Whichever way you choose, it all boils down to creativity.

There is an assortment of options present in modern-day TV mount Collection hoisting and supporting entertainment centers in inconspicuous, space-saving nooks and crannies. In fact, they can be an excellent way to utilize unused space.

In the Bedroom

In the Bathroom

Apart from your bedroom, your bathroom is yet another personal space where you spend plenty of time. Given that it is one of the few places in the house when you are truly alone, how about personalizing this sanctuary?

A waterproof TV will help you relax and unwind as you get your dose of entertainment while soaking in the bath or answering nature’s call. Position the TV so that it is visible from the shower, sink, tub, vanity, or any key spots.

You could also choose to hide the appliance behind mirrored doors to have a sneaky little spot of your own!

Inside the Fireplace

The mantle above the fireplace is a cozy little nook that is often reserved for family portraits or TVs. However, this position is highly debated for several reasons. That aside, did you ever think that you could mount your TV inside the fireplace?

Of course, the fireplace must be in disuse before you renovate it as your TV hub. You can choose to position the TV in line with the frame of the fireplace, which brings the TV further into focus. To make innovative use of the design space, you can even keep the TV on a stand at the hearth.

If you wish to go absolutely high-tech on your unusual TV mounts, you can choose a motorized TV mount to move within the fireplace. And if you ever miss the crackling and flickering of a live flame, you can play the video of a fireplace without triggering any safety concerns!

On Your Patio

Are you afraid to step out of the house for the fear that you may miss out on your favorite show? Fear no more as you mount your TV on the patio or the back/front yard deck.

Think of all the barbeque parties that you can host during a big game. Or the pool parties in summer as you put on some Netflix. Want something intimate or romantic? Watch a sappy rom-com under the stars!

The outdoors is a perfect spot for entertaining guests or chilling out on weekends. Do bear in mind to weather-proof your TV setup to increase its life.

In the Kitchen

A kitchen TV mount may seem completely logical, yet this concept is quite unheard of and underutilized.

Think of cooking alongside your favorite celebrity chef or taking live directions from the Food Network! Considering that the kitchen holds all your food, why would anyone not have a TV in their kitchen?

You could mount it on the wall or hide it inside cabinets. You may also position it under the counter alongside the oven or above the refrigerator. Such placement allows symmetry while the TV can seamlessly blend into the background.

Rather than taking up counter space, optimize it by reinventing the kitchen TV mount that stashes the TV inside a compact slot when not in use. Use a motorized mount with a swivel system to get it out of its cave, and you can enjoy an immersive TV-viewing experience as you cook up a storm!

Where NOT to Mount Your TV

The above unusual TV mounts may have fired up your imagination. However, to ensure safety and security following are some TV places that you must avoid:

• High spots that are above the line of sight may cause headaches, neck pain, or viewing-angle issues.

• On walls that are not marked as load-bearing walls.

• Near open fires or water sources.

• Opposite to an east or west-facing door or window as it will attract glare.

Conclusion

With all these unusual TV mounts, you may be itching to get started on your DIY project. But first, get all your instruments and equipment in order. And do check out the TV places to avoid before drilling in that hole!

Finally, if you do not feel too confident or up to the task, you can always have the professionals take care of it for you!

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As an entrepreneur, you ought to use the best retail marketing strategy to stay ahead of your rivals. Business owners, without using the right techniques, can hit a slump and experience severe frustrations. Thus, we have created this guide to ensure that you properly boost sales with a professional marketing strategy. Note that the flowing store strategies have been tested and approved by your fellow entrepreneurs.

The best way to dominate the bigger size of the market is by improving the consumer experience. Though most retail shops consider this aspect trivial, the only appropriate way to draw online and offline clients to your business is by having an impressive storefront.

Create Enough Purchase Opportunities

Even as you focus on branding mix, you are supposed to ensure that your buyers have enough purchasing opportunities so that they get to consume your products more often. This is way better than coming up with online or in-store marketing offers. Just focus on making it easier for your clients to buy your products in ways that are most appealing for them. 

If your customers can easily know where the next retail shop is located, they can take care of obstacles associated with trying to make purchases. First, before applying branding mix, you need to know how the industry works and how best your target customers are likely to react to various changes you plan to make. 

Keep Your Customers Engaged 

Your customers will need a reason to be loyal to you. Therefore, you are supposed to hire someone to provide proper merchandising services to give the customers strong reasons to purchase your products. 

Also, to make your buyers keep coming back for more of your products and services, you want to do more listening than talking. If they try your products and drop negative comments or suggestions on how you can get better, you should see that as an opportunity to grow. 

The first step is acknowledging that you appreciate their comments and that you are always looking to get better. Next, give them your word that they will have a better experience next time, and you should endeavour to keep that promise. That way, your customers will know that you value them, and they will reciprocate that by buying your products or services more. 

The Bottom Line 

The perk of running an online business is that you will have unlimited opportunities to learn as you earn. Therefore, use the killer tips shared above and get ahead of your rivals in the industry. Do not forget to leverage the power of business distribution to make your products and services available for as many clients as possible. By using the right retail marketing strategy, you will not struggle to stay afloat despite the level of competition from other retailers 

Modern living rooms have an open floor plan which is connected to strategic areas like the kitchen and/or the dining room. This way, they are open, bright, properly illuminated and spacious.

Make no mistake, interior designs are actually evolving. Just the same way Fashion evolves and we see different fashion styles and upgrades from time to time does interior furniture, furnishings and interior designs. I bet everyone wants to stay in vogue and be able to identify with the latest trend in whatever they care about.

As much as there is a fancy and interesting part to antique, keeping up with trends is very essential. Living room configuration has evolved over the years as such, it is right to have what can be called a Modern Living Room.

To give your Living Room that Modern vibe, there are a few things to be put in place. Here is my top 6 of those few things:

• Rug:

There are quite a lot of living room rug ideas all of which are capable of giving your living room space that beautiful modern vibe. Both scatter rugs and area rugs can be used in a Modern living room to get the desired designs. The rug gives your living room space a classy and stylish look and helps in driving in the statement of a focal point. Getting the best outlook for your living room with rugs has to do with your choice of color and design. You can choose the scatter or area rug in either the floral, patterned or plain designs for your desired reality.

• Coffee Table:

Gone are the days of “free is classy”. You really need to fix up a coffee table at the centre of your living room space to get it right. It doesn’t necessarily depend on the size. Just make sure it is commensurate at every standard with every other element in your living room. You don’t want to have yourself an improper fraction scenario. You can either go with a wooden, glass or chrome legged coffee table.

You can check out a catalogue of Coffee tables on HOG.

• Blinds/Drapes:

Your modern living room should have its windows covered with preferably drapes or blinds. This would add the right toning to the feel of the space in terms of daylight ambience. There are lots of window blind options to be considered; Venetian, PVC and Day and Night; just to mention a few. You can check out HOG for blinds and drapes that can suite your requirement.

• Plant (Artificial or Natural)

Natural or Artificial plants has become one of the essential parts that makes up a modern living room. Not only does having plants in your living room enhances the aesthetics but it also affects moods and creativity.

• Wall Art

Another very essential part of a Modern Living room is the Wall Art. It can be a kind of motivational quote, religious or even graphics; just make sure your living room wall does not miss something artistic on your wall.

• Sofa Sets

Well, there is no living room without a sofa in the first place. For modern living room vibe; you should consider sectional and L-Shaped Sofas as they are the best candidate for the job. Not only do they make your living room space look stylish and classy but they also safe cost somehow.

If your living room space doesn’t seem to look Modern enough; no sweat! Just visit HOG furniture and your imagination would be created.

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