The Director-General of South East Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, (SECCIMA), Engr. Henry Nduka Awuregu last Thursday led a high powered delegation made up of core professionals from many core sectors of the economy to a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor, Senate and Management of Ebonyi State university, Abakaliki.
According to Engr. Awuregu who is also d Director General of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, ( ECCIMA) the visit was to interface with the University with a view of establishing the Chamber’s novel project named Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry aimed at bridging the gap between institutions of learning and the market place.
The team first visited the management of Abakaliki Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture to intimate them of the visit and its purpose.
Welcoming the SECCIMA boss and his entourage, Director-General of Abakaliki Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Barr. Hyacinth Uguru described the visit as an honour to the Chamber and promised to assist to achieve the aim of the visit.
Barr. Uguru stated that his Chamber was always poised to promote, protect and encourage business activities in area.
Stating the aim of the visit, Engr. Awuregu said, “We are here to intimate u of our decision to pay a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor, Senate and Management of Ebonyi State University to interface with them on our plan to establish our novel idea of Scholars Centre For Commerce and Industry. The aim is to expose the students to technicalities in modern business world.
“We want to bridge the gap between theory and practicalities in business”After the visit, the team comprising members of SECCIMA and their Abakaliki Chamber of Commerce counterparts moved to Ebonyi State University where they were received by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu and top brass of the institution.
Leader of the SECCIMA delegation, Engr. Awuregu told the Vice Chancellor that the choice of his University was because the school was the first to show interest in the project. He explained that the aim of the visit was to collaborate with the University in the area of man power and economic development.
He revealed that the project known as Scholars Centre for Commerce and Industry was made to bridge the huge gap between institutions of learning and the market place challenge with the aim of bringing the Market place to the Institutions and the Institutions to the Market place. Other gain accruable from the Centre according to the SECCIMA Director General invlude development of Mindset, Skill-set and Tools-set.
He also revealed that the Centre will be involved in Coaching, Mentoring, Teaching and rendering assistance from within and outside the country.
Said he, ” This Centre will be actively involved in wealth creation, employment creation, poverty reduction, increased IGR, foreign exchange earning, tourism promotion, decrease in crime and youth restiveness etc.” He explained further that what the Team needed from the university was a space to establish the Centre.
In his response, Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ogbu stated that the project was in tandem with the dream of the university and promised that his university will provide the space and conducive environment for the project to operate. “Am proud of SECCIMA and also excited about the project. The university will do everything possible to enable the project succeed.
In the SECCIMA DG’s team were, Dr. J. Ugwu, Southeast Coordinator, Strategic Empowerment Project, DG, Abakaliki Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Barr. Hyacinth Uguru, Engr. Stanley Nwoga, Princess Ngozi Oketa, Engr.Dr. Sunday Opoke, Engr. Eze C. Eze.
Others were, Larry Nwaiwu and Okwuchukwu Okoye.
