The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mines And Agriculture (ECCIMA)

  • Telecom masts, towers constitute no health hazards — NCC

    Telecom masts, towers constitute no health hazards — NCC

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says there is no health issue surrounding telecom masts and towers mounted anywhere in the country.

    The Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said this in a statement issued at the ongoing 2017 Enugu International Trade Fair on Monday.

    Danbatta said that such belief and claim were mere imagination and myth, adding, “it has no scientific base”.

    “There are some individuals who still believe that telecom masts and towers constitute health hazards to humans.

    “The commission still maintains that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has affirmed that no result of any such hazard has been established against base stations.

    “Therefore, any individual or community adducing such reasons to deny right of way to the telecom companies, and prevent them from expanding services are invariably contributing to the poor quality of service in the network,’’ he said.

    Danbatta said that NCC had been on top of its game as the telecom regulator had not done badly.

    “Recently, the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) awarded a Platinum Score to the commission for exemplary performance as an agency of government.

    “This award is an encouragement to us and we will not rest on our oars in continuing to deliver on our mandate, especially as it concerns the consumer,’’ he said.

    The Enugu International Trade Fair, which is being supported by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, is organised to showcase Nigeria’s non-oil products.

    The exhibition, which is the 28th in the series is also providing opportunity for local and foreign businesses to explore and access commercially viable markets in the South-East.

    The theme of the fair, organised by Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) is “Promoting Nigeria’s Industrial Sector and SMEs for Inclusive and Robust Economy”.

    The 10 days trade fair, which started on March 31, will end on April 10.

  • SON wants Nigerians to buy certified products

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Friday advised Nigerians to patronise only its certified products to enable them get value for their money.
    The organisation also promised to continue to flush out substandard products.
    Its Director-General, Dr Osita Aboloma, made the call at the SON Special Day at the ongoing 2017 Enugu International Trade Fair.
    “While we warn the public of the consequences of using substandard products, we equally call on them to patronise mainly SON certified products as products that give value for money,’’ he said.
    Aboloma appealed to entrepreneurs to subscribe to the SON mandatory conformity assessment scheme for the growth of their enterprise as well as their market share.
    On export drive, the SON boss said that the agency had been working hard to ensure that all local products and farm produce met prescribed international standard and calibration.
    “The issue of rejection of our products and produce anywhere in the world is gradually becoming a thing of the past as SON is poised to make Nigerian products and farm produce the number one preferred in terms of quality and quantity specification,’’ he said.
    Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, the President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), thanked SON for participating in the trade fair and for stimulating economic growth in the country.
    The Enugu International Trade Fair, which is being supported by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, is organised to showcase Nigeria’s non-oil products.
    The exhibition is also providing opportunity for local and foreign businesses to explore and access commercially viable markets in the South-East.
    The theme of the 28th edition of the fair, which will end on Monday, is: “Promoting Nigeria’s Industrial Sector and SMEs for Inclusive and Robust Economy”.

  • Newly-established Development Bank will boost Nigeria’s economy – ECCIMA

    The Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) says the newly-established  Development Bank of Nigeria will boost the real sector of Nigerian economy through long term funding.

    The President of ECCIMA, Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, made the statement while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the ongoing 2017 Enugu International Trade Fair.

    NAN reports  that aside appointing a new board and management, the Federal Government has given the bank an  initial capital base of one billion dollars.

    “For long, funding mismatch has been the bane of the real sector of our economy.

    “Using short term funds to finance long term projects is a disaster any day any time.

    “It is of essence that government policies in this direction, especially as it affects credit to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), should be made to work better by using the business associations as buffer for members that are genuinely in need of credit facilities to expand their business operations,’’ he said.

    He also lauded the Federal Government for appointing board and top management of the bank, headed by Mr Tony Okpanachi.

    Chime advocated a synergy between public and private sectors to eliminate factors affecting growth of SMEs, including  bureaucratic bottlenecks and extraneous regulations by government.

    “SMEs remain the bedrock of our productivity and output towards reviving the economy and stabilizing it,’’ he said.

    According to him, the ongoing trade fair is in line with the Federal Government’s diversification agenda as it provides a platform to showcase non-oil commodities with export potential.

    The chamber president said it provided an opportunity for local and foreign businesses to explore and access the commercially viable South-East market.

    The theme of the 28th  fair is “Promoting Nigeria’s Industrial Sector and SMEs for Inclusive and Robust Economy”.

    The fair will end on April 10.

     

  • ECCIMA: FG should devolve economic, political power to zones

    The Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) has advocated devolution of economic and political power by the Federal Government to zones and states to facilitate economic recovery.

    The President of ECCIMA, Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, made the call on Tuesday, on the need for the Federal Government to tackle the recovery of the economic from all fronts.

    “In our efforts to diversify and make our economy to be competitive, there is great need for the Federal Government to remove certain exclusivity it has on some key areas and sectors.

    “Channel such to the concurrent list, where states can be empowered to enrich their economic potentials,’’ Chime said.

    According to him, the solid mineral sector, we believe will activate the economy of almost all the states in Nigeria as there is no state in Nigeria that is not endowed with one mineral or the other.

    He remained the Federal Government about statement of the Minister of Solid Minerals in January 2016 that states would start taking part in solid mineral policy input and exploitation.

    “We look forward to full implementation of this promise,” he said.

    Chime, however, commended the Federal Government for its pragmatic Medium Term Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (MTRGP 2017-2020), which was being finalised to address the current economic challenges and restore growth.

    “Even with this lauded plan; there is a need to involve the component states and zones to join and participate actively in the overall economic recovery plan,’’ he added.