South East Chambers of Commerce merge to fast-track economic development

South East Chambers of Commerce merge to fast-track economic development

Posted by Sylvester on Thursday, December 25, 2014 0

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…As NACCIMA gives approval

The chambers of commerce and industry in the South East geopolitical zone have merged and formed a new business bloc, known as the South East Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SECCIMA), in a determined effort to fast-track economic development of the zone.

According to the body, they aim to achieve the economic integration through mainly private sector initiatives and partnerships with the various state governments of the zone.

The South East Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SECCIMA) is made up of at least eight city chambers of commerce, in Enugu (ECCIMA), Owerri (OCCIMA), Aba (ABCCIMA), Onitsha (ONCCIMA), and Nnewi (NECCIMA).

The new bloc of chambers of commerce is seen by a number of economic analysts in the zone as a bold step to aggregate private sector-driven economic development of a zone that thrives much on private individual entrepreneurships, with little or no government backing.

Interim president of the newly formed SECCIMA, Azuka Alagwu said the various chambers of commerce in the zone were coming together to evolve organised private sector initiatives in partnership with the various state governments of the zone.

Alagwu said, while addressing members of the new SECCIMA during their end of year meeting and commissioning of a new secretariat at the Aladinma Shopping Mall, Owerri, Imo State.

The choice of Owerri, the capital of the Eastern Heartland is instructive: the town is nearly equidistant (about two hours drive) to all the states of the South East zone.

Economic analysts have lauded the move; saying it would break barriers to business in the zone, and open up potentials worth hundreds of billion naira in the untapped informal sector.

Meanwhile, the umbrella body of all chambers of commerce in the country, NACCIMA, has approved the South East bloc of chambers; as NACCIMA national president, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar provided unquantifiable support towards the realization of SECCIMA.

The South East poses great difficulties to business operations, ranging from highly dilapidated public infrastructure (roads, telecommunication) and harsh government policies that hurt doing business.

But, SECCIMA interim president, Alagwu sounds optimistic. He posits that, with almost all the city chambers in the South East as members of the new bloc of chambers, the task of driving economic development has been made easier; adding that since inception, many business obstacles were being tackled by the chamber-members to make things easier for member-companies.

He listed some of their achievements within a very short period of the existence of SECCIMA, to include: articulation of a solid executive membership that has been the driving programmes of the association; commencement of a registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja, which they hope to complete soon.

“SECCIMA has worked very had to strengthen weak city chambers in the South East zone. We (SECCIMA) have also succeeded in resolving disputes in some city chambers within the zone. We have put in place a valid constitution for the association, and employed an Administrative Secretary to run the affairs of the association; and of course the setting up of a secretariat in Owerri,” said Alagwu.

The SECCIMA interim president also informed that the association has created awareness among state governments and their agencies within the zone and beyond.

He commended all the members of SECCIMA who have worked very hard towards the formation and growth of the association, including Kelvin Mbawuike, the president of OCCIMA, who he said took pains to articulate the registration of SECCIMA with the CAC, as well as sourcing a suitable secretariat for the association in Owerri.