A trade delegation from the Economic Community of West African States {ECOWAS}has arrived Port ton  an enlightenment mission for private companies within the South-South zone on how to access business opportunities available within the ECOWAS sub-region.

Speaking during a courtesy call on the State Governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Prince Ogbonna Nwuke, on Monday, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Limane Barage, said the team was in the state to disseminate information to Niger Delta entrepreneurs on the existence of a system that allows firms within the sub-region to collaborate.

Mr. Barage, who is also the Principal Programme Officer of ECOWAS, said the regional body has developed a web-based system where companies are encouraged to get registered free of charge to enable them access prospective partners in terms of goods and services offered by other companies within the region.

The leader of delegation, explained that the system was developed over lOyears ago, but it has not gotten down to the people, hence the need to hold seminars in various business cities like Port Harcourt to assist propagate the concept for a better business relationship . According to him, “if you want any information on Cote d’voire, Guinea, Senegal etc, you don’t have to travel there, but to go to the website and you will have the idea of what business opportunities that exist in terms of exporting or importing from the country”.

He condemned a situation where West African people rush outside the region for business transactions when such opportunities exist just next door, stressing that the essence of the seminar is to highlight available options within the sub-region.

Responding on behalf of the Rivers State Governor, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Prince Ogbonna Nwuke, thanked the ECOWAS business delegation for the choice of Port Harcourt as one of the centres for the sensitization workshop, noting that their present mission was one of the reasons why the founding fathers of the organization went to work to reduce the dependence on foreign powers.

Prince Nwuke, said the successes recorded by ECOWAS so far has justified the vision behind its establishment, pointing out that those driving the system needs special commendation for keeping the cooperation and collaboration hope of the body alive, because within the West African region there is increased cooperation.

He observed that there is a limit to what government can do in Jmanaging businesses, and had therefore encouraged the organized private sector by adopting Private Public Partnership {PPP}as a policy.

The Commerce and Industry Commissioner, said the ministry is in the forefront of promoting made in Nigeria goods to encourage local production, adding that it was in tandem with what ECOWAS is doing, and pledged the support of the State Government towards the success of their mission to the state.