NDCCITMA, BusinessDay to synergise for regional development

Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA) and BusinessDay Media Limited, Publishers of BusinessDay Newspaper, The Weekender and BDSUNDAY as well as the Owner of BDTV, have initiated discussions for a possible synergy that will help facilitate economic growth and sustainable development in the Niger Delta Region.

This initiative was discussed during a courtesy visit by a delegation from BusinessDay, to the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.

Solomon Edebiri, Board Secretary of the Chamber, while receiving the BusinessDay team on behalf of Idaere Gogo Ogan, NDCCITMA Chairman, thanked the corporate media outfit for the visit and for deciding to partner with with them to fast-track the economic development of the Niger Delta.

He said that many seminars and conferences had been held by different organisations at different fora on how to improve the lot of the Niger Delta people, bur without much impact, hence NDCCITMA’s decision to veer off from mere rhetoric to focus on practical development of the region that will positively change the lives of the people of the region.

Edebiri said that the Niger Delta Economic Investment Summit and Exhibition being organised, by NDCCITMA and slated to hold in June, this year, is geared towards achieving that goal, noting that the programme, would feature round table discussions on agriculture, air connectivity within the Niger Delta, railway provision, oil palm refinery establishment, regional banking, waste management, land availability for investors, among other key development areas.

‘”We’re looking at establishing an agricultural hub and people will be taught how to process and preserve their products. Each state (in the Niger Delta) will have farm clusters of over 1000 hectares,’ he added, while expressing hope that BusinessDay, would join in galvanising ideas that would serve as a blueprint for investors during the round table discussions

Patrick Ijegbai, General Manager, Business Development, (South South/South East Region) BusinessDay, and Team Lead, commended NDCCITMA for initiating programmes capable of revamping and revolutionizing the economy of the Niger Delta Region.

“We appreciate your activities so far and as a business-inclined medium, we believe there is need for us to partner with you to unlock the economic potentials of this region, boost business and spread development to every nook and cranny of the South-South region to benefit our people,” he said.

Ijegbai assured NDCCITMA of BusinessDay’s readiness to participate actively in its forthcoming Niger Delta Economic Investment Summit and Exhibition, by featuring in the round table discussions and using its multiple media platforms to promote the event.

Members of NDCCITMA, who received the BusinessDay team, included Solomon Edebiri (Board Chairman), Jasper Iziengbeaya (Director), Maruche R. Umar, (Director), Eric Nwanom (,Director) and Harry Kurotamunonye (Head, Admin and Accunts).