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The 3rd quarterly council meeting of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), hosted by the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce in Port Harcourt (PHCCIMA), has ended with the presentation of a trade fair ground to the state chamber of commerce at the Greater Port Harcourt City by the Rivers State government.
The quarterly meeting, which started on Wednesday 8, August 2018 with the NACCIMA Exco and Council meeting, saw the NACCIMA President, Iyalode Alaba Lawson pay a courtesy visit to the state governor, Chief Barr Nyesom Wike.
Represented by his deputy, Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the governor commended NACCIMA for the support given to PHCCIMA, which according to him has been instrumental to the monumental achievements and progress thus far.
He said the present administration is committed to keeping its promises to ensure an enabling business environment, made to the Chamber of Commerce in 2015. According to him, issues like the harmonization of taxes to end double taxation, issuance of certificate of occupancy, provision of massive infrastructure among others that have been fulfilled, are aimed at making Rivers State an investors’ paradise.
Similarly, he said to show commitment to stimulating the state economy, the promise of allocating a permanent trade fair ground has been accomplished with the allocation of a massive and strategically located land at the Greater Port Harcourt City. He urged the federal government to revamp ports in the south south, complete revitalization of the Port Harcourt International airport as this would improve on the ease of doing business in the Zone and also decongest the Lagos Ports.
Governor Wike commended the National President of NACCIMA, Iyalode Alaba Lawson, for her support for the PHCCIMA President, Dr. Emi Membere-Otaji and a whole lot of others including for the women, noting that the women are now undergoing training, forming cooperatives, making themselves useful in their homes and communities.
In her remark, the national president of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Iyalode Alaba Lawson described NACCIMA as the voice of the organized Private Sector in Nigeria. She expressed delight that the public-private partnership initiative was working in Rivers State because of the political will and commitment of Governor Wike.
Iyalode Alaba Lawson who is the 19th president of NACCIMA and the first female national president expressed gratitude to the Rivers State government for allocating trade fair ground to the chamber of commerce at a strategic position, saying this when in use will stimulate the state economy and attract investors.
She further described the PHCCIMA President, Dr. Emi Membere-Otaji, as an entrepreneur who has relentlessly served the national and state chamber of commerce with amazing sense of responsibility and commitment, adding that she was not surprise at his ability to steer the PHCCIMA ship to make history by securing a permanent trade fair ground after 61 years.
The NACCIMA delegation also visited the Port Harcourt Electric Distribution Company (PHED), where they met the MD/CEO, Mr. Naveen Kapoor, who highlighted the issues confronting the network, including the high spate of vandalism, non-payment of bills, staff harassment and unyielding investments by the company. “We appeal to NACCIMA to use its good offices in the various ministries to influence the federal government in settling the prolonged outstanding MDAs debt. We also appeal to our maximum demand customers to pay their bills as at when due. Making these payments will enable the company to invest more in its network,” he told NACCIMA, urging the organized private sector to impress on their members to pay up their debts.
In her remark, the NACCIMA President, Iyalode Alaba Lawson assured him that NACCIMA will do everything possible to ensure that her members do the needful. She stressed that the PHED is quite instrumental to business growth; hence the visit is key to developing relationships as partners in progress, and to open new frontiers of opportunity between the two bodies.
The delegation also visited the First Independent Power Company Limited at Trans Amadi, located in the heart of Port Harcourt, designated as an industrial district playing host to some multinational companies, manufacturing industries, as well as financial institutions and classic hotels.
Also, the NACCIMA delegation undertook an inspection tour of the Pabod Breweries Limited, once Rivers State-owned, but now fully privatized. The company recently increased its production level from 500 hectoliters to 1.5 million hectoliters capacity, hence was a source of attraction to the NACCIMA delegation. The Alaba Lawson-led delegation was taken around the site and witnessed invaluable modern technologies and facilities put in place to enhance efficiency and productivity.
The delegation also visited the new Princess Medical Hospital, a 5-star multi-specialty signature hospital with state-of-the-art facilities in the heart of Port Harcourt, promoting a new dynamism of medical tourism in the state.
The NACCIMA 3rd quarter council meeting ended with resolutions urging the various levels of government to put in place enabling business policies and environment that will help businesses thrive.
