Participants at the on-going 8th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair have commended the planning and execution of the fair, asserting that this has attracted improved business at the fair.

Speaking at separate interviews at the Isaac Boro Park, venue of the fair, exhibitors particularly lauded the security arrangement and provision of constant power supply which they said, had been incentives to business at the fair.

Managing Director, Blessed Nna O Electronics, Mr Nnamdi Egwu said this year’s fair is better organised.

Egwu whose stand displays electronic equipment scored Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) very high on the provision of security and power as well as environmental sanitation at the fair.

He said the favourable business environment ought to attract huge sales but regretted that sales for him had not been correspondingly high.

He blamed the development on what he called low sensitisation of Rivers people for the fair and poor publicity for it.

An exhibitor, Alhaji S.B. Dahe who sells Dubai jewelries said this was the fifth time he was participating in the Port Harcourt Trade Fair.

He commended the organisation, especially the provision of a Police Post at the fair ground, saying it has improved business at the fair.

In his contribution, Mr Samuel John, a dealer in bedsheets described this year’s organisation of the fair as better than that of last year.

He however condemned the role of touts who allegedly act as task force operative to impound goods from helpless itinerant exhibitors .John said many of these exhibitors lose some of their goods in the long run.

In his contribution, the Sales Representative of Port Harcourt Flour Mills at the fair complex, Mr Bala Tamunonimitech argued that the hosting of the Port Harcourt Discount Market simultaneously with the Trade Fair at the Isaac Boro Park had undermined sales at the trade fair.

He argued that while cost of space was very high at the fair, it is free at the Discount market. He alleged that the development had led to the movement of some exhibitors from the trade fair to the Discount Market.

According to him people at the Trade Fair gate who he said claim to be security operatives, act as touts, intimidating and harassing  visitors to the fair.

“Government needs to motivate exhibitors at the Trade Fair,” Tamunonimuteia said.

However, when our reporter visited the PHCCIMA Pavillion at the Trade Fair complex, neither the President Engr  Emeka Unachukwu, nor the Press Officer, Mr. Anderson Hart was available for comments.

The Trade Fair ends on Friday.