* PHCCIMA offers to facilitate bumper trade relations between Rivers and Indonesia
·Hanging fruits: MoU, int’l investment forum, a Nigeria-Indonesia business forum, int’l handicraft exhibition
By Ignatius Chukwu
Indonesia may make Port Harcourt their anchor in Nigeria in trade and business. Talks have already been held and a memorandum of understanding (MoU0 will soon be signed by Indonesia team and the officials of PH City Chamber. Also, hanging fruits that would be plucked as fast as the MoU is signed have been lined up.
Details:
Indonesia and Rivers State may soon go into big business relationships that may bring Indonesian businesses to showcase their products in Port Harcourt.
This is to be facilitated by the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA).
Already, a team from Indonesia has paid w visit to Port Harcourt and held deep talks with the PHCCIMA council with hopes for a memorandum of understanding (MoU) as both parties seemed eager for an agreement soon.
Should this happen and an MoU is signed, there could soon be an international investment forum, a Nigeria-Indonesia business forum, and an international handicraft exhibition, all to be held in Port Harcourt. There could also be international exhibitors in the Port Harcourt International Trade Fair while the Indonesian government may be brought to seal a business relationship with the organized private sector in Rivers State.
Now, PHCCIMA president, Sir Mike Elechi, a monarch, has called for the proposed MoU between the PH City Chamber and the Indonesia Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) to include the Representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia on bilateral relationship.
The PHCCIMA President made the statement when the Indonesia team paid him a courtesy visit at the Chamber’s secretariat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Capital, in the week.
The PHCCIMA boss emphasized that the MoU would institutionalize the relationship and go beyond the cordial relationship that exists between them and PHCCIMA regarded as the leader of Organized Private Sector (OPS) in Rivers State.
He said it would be an added advantage to Indonesia in having smooth business operation in Rivers State.
Eze Elechi, the National Productivity Award winner and Managing Director of Vintage Farms and Products Ltd, also informed the Indonesian envoy that Rivers State is safe in doing business despite negative publicity given to Port Harcourt which he said drove some expatriates out of the city.
He posited that the new Rivers State government under the watch of Sir Siminalayi Fubara, was committed to the development of Small, Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in the state.
For this reason, the PHCCIMA boss said there was the need for effective collaboration between Indonesia and the Rivers State government through the Port Harcourt City Chamber which he said would facilitate a good working relationship. He mentioned the Port Harcourt International Trade Fair and various trade missions as avenues to consummate the relationship.
Earlier in his speech, the leader of the delegation and Director of Indonesia Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), Hendro Jonathan, said they were at the Chamber secretariat to inform the President and members about their business forum in Port Harcourt which he said was aimed at strengthening business relationships between the Republic of Indonesia and business operators in Port Harcourt.
He said that the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was timely just as he also proposed an international investment forum, a Nigeria-Indonesia business forum and an international handicraft exhibition all to be held in Port Harcourt.
He also promised to bring in international exhibitors and Indonesia government to a business relationship with the organized private sector in Rivers State.
Meanwhile, the PHCCIMA boss also led the Indonesia envoy and his team to four major shopping centres in Port Harcourt to showcase the safe business environment of Rivers State.
Other PHCCIMA executive members present at the meeting were included Prince Charles Beke (2nd deputy president), Surveyor Emmanuel Ogbonda (treasurer), and Pastor Uche Onochie (publicity secretary).
Others were Dr. Maraizu Uche (Chairman Economic & Commercial Trade Group), Amb. Mrs Florence Nwosibe (Elected Council Member), Mr Erasmus Chukunda (Director-General), Dr Joe Abraham Esq (Deputy Director General), and Mr Joseph Asomeji (Media Officer).
