PHCCIMA Urges FG To Diversify From Oil, Gas

The Port Harcourt
Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), has thrown its weight behind the call for the diversification of the economy to other sectors of the economy to other sectors of the economy.
The President, Dr Emi Membre-Otayi made the declaration in an interview with the press in Port Harcourt last weekend.
Membre-Otayi stated that the move became necessary in the face of the hard times that had hit the oil and gas sector with the resultant low cash flow in the sector.
He said, PHCCIMA members were the worst affected in the development saying that since most of their members were based in Rivers State, their businesses were mostly in the oil and gas sector which has taken a downturn following the low international prices and revenue.
The PHCCIMA president said that as part of measures put in place to enhance the diversification process, the chamber was looking to collaraborate with interested organisations to promote growth in the non-oil sector as well as export the products.
According to him, “we are looking to explore opportunities to export products from the non-oil sector, while finding ways to improving the oil and gas sector.
He further said, “one of the things we plan to achieve was to promote the export of viable products to the international market and source local markets for our members’ products.”
He also used the opportunity to charge the federal government on policies that would promote inland water transportation.

Tonye Nria-Dppa