Managing Director Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku has stressed the importance of collaboration between the private sector and the state governments in Niger Delta Region to drive business growth.
Dr. Ogbuku, who made the emphasis in Port Harcourt Rivers State, during the Niger Delta Business Round Table, put together by Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture NDCCITMA, insisted that the Region is conducive for investment.
Niger Delta Region has been described as a region with so many potentials, endowed with abundant natural resources, agriculture and blue economy, but the reality remains in contrast.
To navigate into realization of these potentials, Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce Industry Trade Mines and Agriculture NDCCITMA, put up the Business Roundtable as a platform for experts to brainstorm and define a roadmap for economic growth of the region.
Addressing the gathering, Managing Director NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku explained that NDCCITMA was set up to insulate the commission from political pressure and assist businesses in the region to grow.
Dr. Ogbuku who observed that the challenge of the region was a lack of commitment by the people, asked the business community to invest in the region to attract other external bodies to bring in their investments in the region.
He advised the Chamber of Commerce to set up a think tank team made up of astute business entrepreneurs to midwife the synergy between the private sector and government for strategic implementation of the roundtable decisions.
The MD told the people that the private sector needs to take up the challenge instead of waiting for the government.
According to him, the Government brings infrastructure, while the private sector makes businesses grow.
In a keynote address on Creating a New Development Agenda for the Niger Delta Region, former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board NCDMB, Dr. Simbi Wabote While calling for Regional Master Plan for Regional Development, regretted that politics has derailed development of the region.
Dr. Wabote who stated that the oil rich Niger Delta has contributed immensely to the nation’s economy, expressed optimism of the ability of the region to navigate beyond her economic limitations.
According to him, the region needs to join forces together, build business institutions that would guarantee business growth and ownership.
On his part, Chairman Board of NDCCITMA, Ambassador IDAERE OGAN revealed that over three thousand businesses have benefited from NDCCITMA support scheme and have started paying back.
Ambassador Ogan who said it was necessary to explore the opportunities in the region that would produce results, charged participants to come up with sustainable ideas that would move the region into economic prosperity.
In his presentation, Secretary Board of Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Dr. Solomon Edebiri
told the people that the roundtable was put up to explore business opportunities outside oil and gas in the region.
Dr. Edebiri who went down memory lane on the efforts that were put together to bring to reality the vision of Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, expressed joy that the Chamber has made some positive marks to assist small and medium Scale enterprises within the region.
The Secretary stated that the business Roundtable provided a veritable platform to proffer solutions to business challenges in the region.
Without mincing words, a lot has been said on similar issues in the past, it is time for action.
