By Tony Adibe
The Dangote Group of Companies, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Globalcom are among some of the leading companies that have reportedly shown keen interest in sponsoring the 34th Enugu International Trade Fair.
Themed, “Harnessing Nigerian Human Capital Resources for Global Economic Advancement,” the 34th edition of the Enugu International Trade Fair will start on Friday March 24 and run through Monday April 3, 2023, at the International Trade Fair Complex, Golf Course, G.R.A, Enugu.
The Enugu State Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is expected to be the Chief guest of honour at the event. The Vice President, Trade Fair of the Enugu Chember of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture ECCIMA, Engr. Nonye Osakwe made the disclosure during the 34th International Trade Fair press briefing in Enugu.
Engr. Osakwe explained that this year’s edition of the trade fair would have the attraction of highest level of sponsorship in the recent times as companies such as “Dangote, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Globalcom have shown serious interest in partnering with the Chamber to sponsor the 34th fair.”
He said the event would be declared open by the Honourable Minister of Trade and Investment on behalf of the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He expressed optimism that the 34th Enugu International Trade Fair would be a success, despite attendant challenges in the country’s economic environment.
According to him, a number of strategies have been put in place by the Chamber towards ensuring that all stakeholders realize meaningful outcome from participation in this Fair including a number of side attractions that would interest the public. Osakwe said that the members of ECCIMA were particularly happy that “we have been receiving streams of enquires and interest from corporate organizations and institutions declaring interest to participate in the 34th Enugu International Trade Fair.”
He explained that “this is a pointer to the expected success of the 34th Enugu International Trade Fair,” stressing that some of the focal points of this year’s trade fair include: “Identification and bringing to bare Nigerian Human Capital Resources that will attract the Global Economic market for the growth of our national economy.”
Besides, he said another focal point of the trade fair would be boosting technological advancement by encouraging the participation of researchers, innovators, and creative thinkers as a nexus towards commercialization of research findings including robust indulgence in the digital space.
On the level of preparedness to achieve a successful trade fair, Osakwe said the Council has concluded concrete agreement with the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) to ensure 24/7 electricity at the Fair complex within the period of the fair.
He further stated that the ECCIMA is “providing amenable environment for the hosting of this Fair as we have continued to update facilities in the Trade Fair Complex within our limited resources, praying that the Federal Government would rise to its responsibilities to fully develop the Fair Complex.
It is heart-warming to note that Enugu State remains a very peaceful landscape and since we began the hosting of the Enugu International Trade Fair, we have not experienced any security breach and we remain optimistic and prayerful that the 34th edition would not be an exception.
Osakwe said: “The Chamber has made appreciable progress to ensure that the Fair is successfully held to the satisfaction of all stakeholders especially in this election period. Let me emphasis here that even though we are passing through election and democratic transition in the country, yet we need to be upbeat about our economic affairs because the economy remains the centre piece of our survival, growth, and development.
“The 34th Enugu International Trade Fair would therefore provide the cleavages to gauge the economic outlook of our nation, the attendant/available human capital market/opportunities that would be inclined to industrial development to make informed business and investment decisions.
“We are very hopeful that the 34th Enugu International Trade Fair would be a success, despite attendant challenges in the economic environment.” He said the Fair would also get more credence and attention towards boosting the Agricultural sector and particularly commercial farming for the much-needed job creation and food security with the attendant linkages and value chain benefits through processing of raw materials/Agro Allied Industries.
He added that the aim is to further propel the development of the Small and Medium Enterprises which is key to our national development
“Let me also, use this opportunity to reassert our concern on the issue of deepening democracy in our country. There is no doubt that it is only with a thriving economy and free enterprise that our democracy would be rooted and sustained.
He also called on the electorate who are yet to collect his/her Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) to kindly visit their Wards or INEC Local Government office to collect his/her PVC and “ensure that you vote, and the votes are counted and also counts.”
“This will be our own effort towards unleashing the industrial sector by voting in the right Human Capital with the needed capacity and competency to drive our national and state economies for the much talked about diversified productive industrial growth and the general economic development,” Osakwe said.
Earlier, during the ECCIMA 49th AGM, the ECCIMA President, Barrister Jasper Nduagwuike emphasised that the AGM was timely coming at about 41 days to the election, adding that if there is any time in the history of this Country that every hand should be on deck to “ensure that every body votes and every vote counts, that the time should be now.”
He restated his commitment to “relevance, visibility and excellence given by our own standard,” adding, however, that “we believe we have shown course to proudly say that by the grace of God our commitments are being achieved.”
The ECCIMA President said that the Enugu Coalition of Business and Professional Association (ECOBPA), the advocacy arm of the Chamber will at the end of January “swing into a massive publicity for all of us to vote. That is the only way we can influence the direction of this Country for better.”
He said: “I therefore plead with all of us to ensure we get our Permanent Voters Card (PVC) that we vote that we guard our votes and ensure that the votes are not only counted but also counts.”
Nduagwuike thanked the Enugu State Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the prevalent peace in Enugu State and cordial relationships between the government and the Organized Private Sector (OPS).
