Fides Media Living the Faith
By Michael Nnebife
Awka Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Awka CCIMA, has installed the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SCOA Heritage Publishers, Awka, Engr Chudy Egemba, as its president to pilot the affairs of the Chamber for next two years.
The installation ceremony, which took place at Geogold Hotels and Suites, Awka, last week, attracted the presence of captains of industry; the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye, represented by Wisdom Akaotuonye of Awka Police Division; the state Commissioners for Agriculture and Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Mr Forster Ihejiofor and Barr Tony Ifeanya, respectively; their Culture, Entertainment and Tourism counterpart, Mr Donatus Onyenji; a former Director General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria, Dr Joseph Odumodu; the Traditional Ruler of Eziagu in Orumba South Local Government Area of the state, Igwe Bernard Emejuo; among others.
In his acceptance speech, Engr Egemba pledged to consolidate on the achievement of his predecessors to uplift the Chamber to greater heights.
While thanking the entire members of Awka CCIMA for finding him and the members of the new executive worthy to serve the Chamber, Egemba expressed readiness to prioritize the affairs of the Chamber above personal concerns and explore every available legitimate means to ensure that the confidence reposed in him and the executive would not be in vain.
He said, ‘I stand on behalf of the new executive to promise that ours will be an executive that attend meetings.
‘We wouldn’t be too busy in our private businesses against our responsibility for Awka Chamber of Commerce.We’ll chart a new part; we wouldn’t maintain a status quo. Where the door refuses to open, we try the window.
‘If the window is resistant, we dig through the wall. Sorry, we may make mistakes, but we’ll learn from our mistakes.
‘And by all means, we’ll do our best to ensure that the confidence reposed in us is not in vain,’ Egemba assured and solicited the support and cooperation of the entire members of the Chamber to enable him and his team to succeed, and Awka CCIMA to be one of the Chambers to be reckoned with.
Appreciating the guests, particularly the commissioners, for gracing the occasion with their presence, Egemba eulogized the state Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, for his palm oil and cocoanut revolution in the state.
In their separate remarks, the Commissioners congratulated the new president and the entire members of Awka CCIMA, expressing belief that the new leadership of the Chamber would take it to greater heights.
They expressed the resolve of the Soludo Administration to ensure a peaceful environment that enhanced ease of doing business in the state.
Early in her address of welcome, the outgoing President of the Chamber, Princess Caroline Ajuora, outlined the achievements recorded by the Chamber in the past two years and expressed optimism that the achievements would serve as a platform that would enable the Chamber to sustain commitment in ensuring that it remained the foremost business membership organization.
In a vote of thanks, one of the new Deputy Presidents of the Chamber, Barr Philip Ekwempu, thanked the new grand patron of the Chamber, Governor Soludo, the patrons, the award recipients, and the guests, for honouring the invitation of the Chamber, wishing them journey mercies back to their respective homes.
Among the highlights of the investiture ceremony was the presentation of awards for excellence to Coscharis Farms Ltd and some individuals, in recognition of their distinguished service to humanity.