The Uyo Chamber of Commerce Industries Mine and Agriculture (UYOCCIMA), says it has been repositioned and will create 1,500 businesses in Akwa Ibom State by 2021.
Describing itself as the voice of the organised private sector committed to changing the economic status of the state, it added that it is ready to partner with the state government to create wealth and boost economic activities.
The President of UYOCCIMA, Nseyen Ebong, who stated this in Uyo while addressing journalists following the inauguration of a new leadership of the group, said it is capable of generating over two million direct and indirect jobs by 2025.
“Government cannot employ everybody and cannot run alone without involving the private sector, that is why we have to diversify to businesses so that jobs can be created for the people.
We have changed the narrative as we hope to register one thousand five hundred new businesses before 2021 and also create over two months’ jobs before 2025.
“The rebranded UYOCCIMA hopes to partner with the three-tier of government, their Agencies as well as other national and global bodies to ensure that Akwa Ibom State takes its rightful place among top-ranking economies in the world”.
Ebong, a maritime expert and former rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron said the chamber develop a business programme for members in the areas of Trade, Agriculture, Industry and Tourism tagged “TRAGINTO Initiative.”
According to him, the move is aimed at “repositioning members strongly and strategically to drive the state economy to an enviable height and greater business achievement.
“We have already established links with internal Chambers of Commerce and other bodies where members will be exposed to mutually beneficial business engagement globally through the TRAGINTO Initiative”.
Other programmes, he said would include encouraging the affiliation of professional bodies with UYOCCIMA, organisation of specialized Trade Fairs and Ibom Cuisine Project and Fair as well as develop a mentorship initiative in which the women and youth wings of UYOCCIMA will come on board soon.
Speaking on the expertise of the members, he said the chamber ” parades a repertoire of experienced and capable hands who are set to ensure that the indigenes of the State benefit economically from various training programmes through training and seminars that will be organised regularly at a minimal fee or free.
He announced that the chamber would host the Forum of South-South Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (FOSSCCIMA) at its 2nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) holding in Uyo on October 15th, 2020 with the investiture of Okon Emah, a former commissioner of health and businessman as the new President of FOSSCCIMA.
“It is my pleasure to announce with pride that UYOCCIMA will be hosting the Coalition of South-South Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (FOSSCCIMA) in its second AGM on October 15th, 2020.
The event will feature the investiture of Okon Emah, a prominent Akwa Ibom son as the new President of FOSSCCIMA.
“Other activities scheduled during the event will include a tour of the governor’s project sites because so much has been said about Akwa Ibom State developmentally and the visitors want to see.”
The chamber also decried the poor state of roads in the South East and South-South region of the country saying it is working against the rapid economic development of the region in business activities with the neighbouring countries.
“It is our position that the federal government should intervene in fixing Itu-Calabar highway, Calabar-Ogoja highway and Ikot Ekpene-Aba road” saying the roads are strategic to the economic development of the region.
Maintaining that since Akwa Ibom State is the number one oil producer in the country, it should be incumbent on the federal government to construct the major highways linking it with the South East and South-South to accelerate economic activities in the two regions.
