It was yet another milestone achievement as the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have strengthened their collaboration on the development of Micro, Small and Medium Scale (SMEs) businesses, trade missions and trade fair participation, among other things.
Speaking at the courtesy call on the Interim Management of NDDC in Port Harcourt, PHCCIMA President, Sir Mike Elechi, explained that PHCCIMA was the recognised leader of organised private sector in Rivers State, and one of the approved four premier Chambers of Commerce in Nigeria under the platform of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce.
He added that the chamber has the only approved international trade fair status, and also hosts the international trade fair, approved by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment for the region.
According to him, “PHCCIMA’s main objective is to promote growth and development of business activities in a conducive environment in the state and Niger Delta region which could be realistic through partnership with government and private sector organisations to execute our people-oriented programmes and make businesses thrive in the state, hence our visit here today is hinged on the age-long recognition of the chamber to NDDC as an interventionist agency saddled with the responsibility of developing the people of the region”.
Elechi, who is also the CEO of Vintage Farms and Products Ltd, intimated the commission on some identified areas of partnership, including micro, small and medium scale business development, saying that the chamber consist of MSMEs, and SMEs representing all sectors of the national economy.
He said that it was for this reason that it was partnering with NDDC on the above development programme to serve as the needed catalyst in developing viable business ventures across all sectors within the region with huge availability of raw materials for small scale cottage industries in the region.
He maintained that youth entrepreneurship and capacity development programme will help in addressing youth restiveness in the region and mentioned that they had successfully collaborated with the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the past to deliver re-orientation and exhibition programme in Port Harcourt, adding that with their wealth of experience and partnering with NDDC would be focusing on human capital development with emphasis on entrepreneurship development to addressing restiveness and reducing unemployment rate.
The National Productivity award winner also added that trade missions participation is one of the major area they would like collaboration with the NDDC to accommodate and promote wider range of participation of government officials, captains of industry and community leaders to also widen their business horizon, even as he proposed to partner the commission in profiling and recommending qualified members across the region to access low interest and collateral free loan from the NDDC micro-finance bank to boost their various businesses.
Elechi further used the medium to woo the commission to participate on the December 6 to 20th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, which according to him, has become a unique meeting point for Nigerian and foreign businesses policy makers, industrialists, manufacturers, suppliers as well as offering opportunities for investment and trade promotion.
In his response, the Interim Administrator of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Effiong Okon Akwa, thanked the PHCCIMA president and his team on their programmes which are targeted at the development of the Niger Delta region.
He maintained that NDDC was a corporate member of PHCCIMA, and has had representative at the chamber’s events in the time past, just as he used the visit to announce the renewal of the NDDC membership commitment as well as desire to participate in the forthcoming Port Harcourt International Trade Fair and exhibitions.
The NDDC boss promised to partner with PHCCIMA in all their request, including youth entrepreneurship and capacity building, trade missions participation and growth of SMEs, positing that SMEs plays important role in the development of the economy, even as he noted that government cannot employ all the labour whereas SMEs are the highest employer of labour to take away the heat from the government.
The event, which took place at the Conference Hall of the NDDC Headquarters, had in attendance the PHCCIMA President, Sir Mike Elechi, the 2nd Deputy President, Hon. Charles Beke; Treasurer, Surveyor Emmanuel Ogbonda; Publicity Secretary, Pastor Uche Onochie; Elected Council member and Chairman of Trade Missions Desk, Mrs. Florence Nwosibe; Chairman, Economic and Commercial Trade Group, Dr. Maraizu Uche; Chairman, Power and Energy Trade Group, Engr. Tony Nwogbo; the Director General, and Mr. Erasmus Chukunda.

By: Nelson Chukwudi