• Says best way to fight criminality is join PHCCIMA in massive job creation
• Urges the business community to support the first female president of PHCCIMA to succeed
By Ignatius Chukwu
Gov Sim Fubara made a rare entry to grace the investiture of Dr Chineyere Nwoga as the first female president of the Port Harcourt City Chamber.
The governor said he did so to demonstrate solidarity with the Chamber and to work with the leaders of the organized private sector (OPS) for the purpose of massive job creation.
His entry into the exquisite arena at the Golden Tulip Event Centre (formerly L.A. King) shook the hall as captains of industries stirred to the reality of the physical presence of His Excellency, something the OPS groups have ever craved for, but never happened before this.
Gov Fubara took special note of the fact that Dr Nwoga is the first female president of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) since inception in 1957.
He thus urged the business community especially members of PHCCIMA to rally round the new president to ensure her success which he said would be the success of the business community.
He said he had to strive to attend the investiture as a mark of solidarity with the PHCCIMA and the OPS in the state.
Admitting that it has not been easy for businesses, the governor assured that there is some light at the end of the tunnel. This is because, as he stated, “We are doing a lot to attract businesses to Rivers State. So, I came here as a mark of solidarity with the business community. We are ready to work to promote the economy of the state.”
He noted that though past administrations did their part, his administration would do everything within its powers to boost the economy of the state.
In her presidential speech, Dr Nwoga, who began life as a broadcaster before venturing into the corporate world where she cut a niche in catering, oil/gas, shipping, terminal management, etc, said she was not standing before the business elites of the state as a woman but as one selected by the members of the City Chamber to pilot their affairs.
She marshalled her projects and programmes which would begin with reconciliations and membership reunion, saying the theme for her term is ‘Positioning PHCCIMA to create and offer dividends of membership and engaging all stakeholders to achieve economic progress’.
She revealed some of her strategies such as instituting a ‘PHCCIMA Business Council’ to serve as a ‘think-tank’; synergy with the academia to help churn out employable graduates; a regular business roundtable with the government to build on what she said was already a robust relationship with the Fubara administration; and the PHCCIMA Annual Lecture series.
At the national level, she said: “We as a chamber will continue to anchor on ideas that would yield economic development and prosperity; access to quality education, quality health services, adherence to the rule of law, protection of life and property. As a matter of fact, these are fundamentals that draw in foreign direct investments and even local investments. We are ever willing to partner with government in pursuit of our common goals and aspirations.”
In his opening remarks, Sen. John Azuta Mbata, former senator and chairman of the investiture, said the City Chamber had always been an oasis of business information and a place of networking, saying PHCCIMA has continually played a huge role in the economic development of the state.
He said Dr Nwoga was a tested personality full of integrity and competence, but urged her to pursue collaboration.
He also called for closer ties with the government, saying both the government and the business community share many common aspirations such as job and wealth creation, peace, increased revenue to government, and boots in infrastructure.
In his goodwill message, the National President of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Kelvin Oye Esq, who was represented by the first deputy national president, Jani Ibrahim, emphasised the need for government and business to work together.
He said the coming on board of the first female president of PHCCIMA was an inspiration to women entrepreneurs and a sign that gender barriers have been broken.
In his remarks, Hyde Ochia, onetime president of PHCCIMA, recalled how he and few others worked hard to make possible the making of a female president. He also revealed how he worked with others to end re-election in PHCCIMA but created a presidential box system where there are three presidents such that there would be no succession crisis. He pledged maximum support of all past presidents to make sure Nwoga succeeded.
The immediate past president, Mike Elechi, a monarch, said there was no problem in PHCCIMA because whatever happened, a new president has emerged.
The chairman of the organizing committee, Nabil Saleh, CEO of M-Saleh Group, revealed how he encouraged Dr Nwoga to become the second deputy president from where she has emerged the substantive president despite what he called obstacles and threats. He said he has absolute confidence in the ability of Nwoga to succeed exponentially.
The governor personally placed the authority of presidency on Dr Nwoga before leaving in blaze of trail to the applause of the full hall. Many commissioners accompanied the governor, something that indicates that the doors of the government are open to PHCCIMA henceforth.
His presence, talks, and body language seemed to pass a huge message to the OPS that the time has come for the private sector and the state government to close ranks and push the economy of Rivers State.