Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Chuma Chinye has advised market associations in the state to join co-operative movement in order to access government loan.

Mr. Chinye gave the advice recently in his office in Port Harcourt, when the executive members of Association of Traders, Farmers. Artisans and Market leaders paid him a courtesy visit.

He urged the members to identify themselves with the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and the Rivers State Cooperative Movement, adding that Rivers State Micro-finance Agency (RIMA) is ready to give loans to interested groups.

The commissioner pointed out that they should not work in isolation, stressing that all market associations should come together to form a bigger and stronger group with good initiative that will attract government attention.

Earlier in her speech, the state President, Association of Traders, Farmers, Artisans and Market leaders of Nigeria, Lady Roseline Jonathan, on behalf of her Association thanked the commissioner for the audience.

Lady Jonathan, who described their visit as a true reflection assemble, said the association is an NGO that operate in all the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

She pledged for government support for her association in the area of provision of office space for their smooth operation, adding that they are ready to register their members into cooperative societies.

In a similar development, the Commissioner for Commerce and industry, Mr. Chuma Chinye, has urged the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) to remain focus in their business development drive to ensure sustainability.

The commissioner made this statement when the Port Harcourt Chamber led Miss Royalty Teens Beauty Pageant to a courtesy visit in his office recently.

Mr. Chinye advised the PHCCIMA to always take the activities of the chamber seriously, saying that there are a lot of job to be done to drive the economy of the state.

He stressed that PHCCIMA should encourage their members to advertise in the Rivers State Directory/Yellow Page, adding that advertisement will publicise their activities to the world.

The Commissioner pointed out that it is constitutional for all companies operating in the state to file in their annual returns to the ministry of commerce and industry every year.

He urged the Miss Royalty Teens Beauty Pageant team to always position themselves in a manner that will positively change the mind sets of the youths.

Earlier in his speech, the President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) Engr. Emeka Unachukwu represented by the Director of Operations PHCCIMA, Engr. Uche Banna said, the Chamber is seeking collaboration from government.

He pointed out that Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) is partnering with Miss Royalty Teens Beauty Pageant for a beauty contest in Port Harcourt.