PH Chamber of Commerce to explore trade links in the Caribbean

To harness business opportunities and boost entrepreneurship, the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) has agreed a collaboration schedule with the newly posted Nigerian ambassador to Jamaica, Belize, Dominican Republic and Haiti, Rivers-born Maureen Tamuno.

The collaboration would enable the business community in Rivers State to interface with their counterparts in the said countries where the Okrika-born lady would serve as ambassador. It would create need for trade intelligence that would bring business moguls in all the countries closer with their Rivers counterparts and seek ways of entrepreneurial integration and exploration, especially on export of non-oil products from Nigeria’s South-South region.

The agreement was reached on Friday when Tamuno paid a visit to the PHCCIMA headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where she was hosted by the PHCCIMA president, Nabil Saleh. It is expected to open channels of collaboration and networking to ensure they harness whatever business opportunities available in those countries.

Congratulating Tamuno on her recent elevation, Saleh said PHCCIMA doors are open to provide an office for the embassy to strengthen ties and facilitate businesses.

He said PHCCIMA has different trade groups cutting across sectors that can have robust synergy with those in the countries of service to open frontiers of opportunity that will be mutually beneficial.

In her remark, Tamuno noted that her visit was to meet with the executives and other valued chamber members and to notify them that their daughter and sister is now at the helm of affair for Nigeria in those various embassies.

She disclosed that with this move, there would be opportunities and her lofty objective was to connect and strengthen relationships via bringing to fore opportunities from the Caribbean to Nigeria, particularly Rivers State.

She said from ICT to tourism, agriculture, shipping and oil and gas, her office would open channels that would impact the Rivers people.

Tamuno, however, advised on the need to ensure adequate security in the country and state in a bid to attract these businesses.

She said her office would carry out programmes of security to ensure that Rivers State is secure for investors and that interaction would be constant to advance the cause of business.

Tamuno said she decided to start consultation moves from Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce because she is a home-girl and it was only proper that charity begins at home.

Similarly, she said her decision to identify with the chamber was as a result of their exploits in business linkages and other values inherent that would be needed to connect businesses in her ambassadorial service countries to Nigeria and more especially in Rivers State.

Mike Elechi, first deputy president, who doubles as chairman, Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, said PHCCIMA was in dire need of collaborations of this nature.

Chinyere Nwoga, second deputy president, expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for finding Tamuno worthy of such an appointment.

“PHCCIMA is home, and this is your office like the president has said. We hope this new call to service will open greater synergy for the various sectors of the Rivers economy,” Nwoga said.

Hyke Ochia, national vice president of NACCIMA and president, South East, South-South Chambers of Commerce (SESSCCIMA), told Tamuno that the same kind of PHCCIMA open doors would be extended to her in SSSECCIMA.

Oriaku Hanson Oyet Ile, financial secretary, as well as PHCCIMA Trade Group chairmen and chairpersons, including the delegation of technocrats that came with the ambassador, also spoke and gave their thoughts at the event.