Experts in various fields of businesses in Rivers State and the Niger Delta region have urged business owners in the region to take advantage of networking and digital marketing to grow their businesses.
Making the call recently at the 4th business linkages forum in Port Harcourt, organised by Wider Perspectives Ltd. in collaboration with the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHACCIMA), representative of different businesses harped on the need for networking and digital marketing.
The experts, drawn from digital online businesses, captains of industries such as Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Bank of Industry (BOI), Nigeria Export and Import Bank (NEXIM), Foundation of Partnership Initiatives in Niger Delta (PIND), and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Rivers State, spoke on the benefits accruable from linking businesses to global value chains through networking and digital marketing.
They told participants how to grow their businesses to global value chains that will enable them export the benefits therein, by sharing their various experiences.
Through such explanations participants were information of the nitty-gritty of their field of business specialization, which ranged from digital/online services to marketing export processing, and mentoring.
Speaking at the occasion, President of PHCCIMA, Chief Nabil Saleh, said the gathering “demonstrated a strong desire by PCCIMA to build bridges across the business community”.
Chief Saleh, who was represented at the occasion by the Chairman, Professionals and Consulates Trade Group, Mr. Clement Atunibo, said irrespective of how small a business is, the desire is to see it grow and ensure that business thrives.
According to him, “presently, there are millions of micro business enterprises in Nigeria contributing almost half of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the tune of 47.8% and 7.2% in terms of export, which underscores their importance to the nation’s economy”.
In her address, the Managing Director of Wider Perspectives, Mrs. Edughom Hanson, said the idea to organize business linkages was informed by the need to promote SME development by connecting them to large business buyers, thereby facilitating business.
“The objective of the forum”, she said, “include access to finance, wealth and job creation, market linkages, export opportunities, and networking through interactions.
“We are glad to state that an appreciable success has been recorded by some of the SMEs that participated in the first, second and third editions.
“Through linkage with large and established enterprises, emerging entrepreneurs and small businesses have a great chance of growth.

Beauty David-West

Traditional health care providers and birth attendants (TBA) in Bayelsa State say the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, Chief David Lyon is their choice for governor.
The midwives made the disclosure in Yenagoa during an interview with journalists shortly after unveiling their solidarity banner and action plan for Lyon’s candidacy.
Speaking to this medium, the coordinator and chairperson of the group, Mrs. Precious Alabo said their support and preference for the candidate was borne out of his philanthropy and open heartedness, stressing that the TBA would mobilize all their members in the nooks and crannies of the State to vote en masse for him.
“As the 2019 guber election draws closer, our Union numbering thousands have decided to show solidarity and support for David Lyon, the David who killed Goliath in the battle field, David Lyon is a better option” Mrs. Alabo said.
According to the chairperson, the insinuation that the APC candidate has not handled any well-known political office will not derail them from working towards his victory, harping that his private sector experience is a good enough reason for Bayelsans has to to vote him in as the next governor of the State, come November 16, 2019.
The group which said they had strained relationship with the governor Dickson’s administration accused him of being insensitive to their plight, saying upon pleading with him for support throughout the life of the administration nothing good was forthcoming.
Mrs. Alabo who eulogized Lyon for his sterling leadership qualities and victory at the party primaries maintained that his emergence as the APC guber candidate did not come as surprise as his benevolence, good character and goodwill would also spur the electorates to cast their votes for him, just as she said myriads of problems facing her association would be attended to by him when he becomes governor.
Meanwhile the maternal care providers have stressed the need for all Bayelsans to work towards the electoral victory of David Lyon, saying the number of jobs the candidate has given to Bayelsans in his employ alone shows how he would not end half way in providing soccour to the needy and bring even development to the state. The TBA chairperson revealed that except their usual traditional midwifery job, they have also created employment for their staffers, reiterating that through Lyon’s employment of Bayelsans areas which were regarded as volatile are now secured following his deliberate engagement of youths in meaningful sources of livelihood.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Oredo West Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly election, Eghosa Agbonifo, has demanded that the seat of Hon. Chris Okaeben, representing the constituency, be declared vacant.
Agbonifo who made this call while addressing newsmen in Benin City, argued that, 90 days after the inauguration of the Assembly, the lawmaker has refused to represent the constituents.
He noted that it was quite disheartening that after 90 days since the election was conducted, the representative of Oredo West constituency was yet to resume sitting and move motions that will enhance development in the constituency.
According to him, “It is Ninety days already, and the state house of assembly, though controversial, is without a representative from Oredo-West.
“If a day is a long-time in politics, what would we then say of the ninety good days that Oredo-West had been without a voice for the people? This is absolutely unacceptable! With the myriads of needs in the constituency, we cannot afford to have a vacuum.
“I therefore request that the current house and her leadership declare the seat vacant if that would be the solution in filling our position.
“The All Progressive Congress, the State Governor, and Christopher Okaeben, cannot hold the constituency to ransom”, he said.
The PDP candidate also called on the state government to do the needful if the state house of assembly is illegally constituted.
“The good people of Oredo-West in unambiguous terms, refused to be sidelined in the politics and governance of the state,” he said.