The leadership of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) has paid glowing tributes to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for his unflinching support for the Chamber and the Organized Private Sector in the state.

Speaking during the inauguration of ECCIMA House Annex, the President of ECCIMA, Sir Emeka Nwandu, the Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman and National Vice President, Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Sir Rob Anwatu; past Presidents of ECCIMA, Pastor Emeka Jideonwu and Rev. Ugo Chime in their separate speeches thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi for the peace and security enjoyed in Enugu State and all other things his administration is doing in providing the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the state.

The ECCIMA House Annex is for the Chamber’s new Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre and South East Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (SECCIMA) Secretariat.

In his address, ECCIMA President, Sir Nwandu who welcomed and thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi for attending the event, commended the governor for “your unflinching support to this Chamber and the Organized Private Sector in Enugu State”.

In his goodwill message, ECIMMA BOT Chairman, Sir Anwatu, described Gov. Ugwuanyi’s support to the Organized Private Sector as ‘exceptional’.

Sir Anwatu applauded the governor “for the peace that we are enjoying in Enugu State”, saying: “You are a man of peace; you brought everybody together.

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“I want to thank you for all the things you are doing in providing enabling environment for us the business people; because we can only do our business when the environment is right and we can only contribute to the economic development of the state when we do our businesses; because it is only when we do our businesses that we will be able to pay taxes and if we don’t do business we can’t pay taxes”.

The BOT Chairman equally thanked Gov. Ugwuanyi for the effective ongoing road maintenance in Enugu, stating that “the roads were beautifully well done”.

According to him, “We will continue supporting you, the ECCIMMA, the Organized Private Sector will continue to support your government, anywhere you think we should come in, anywhere you think we have a role to paly, please call on us anytime”.

Also speaking, the past President of ECCIMA, Pastor Emeka Jideonwu joined other speakers to appreciate Gov. Ugwuanyi’s role in promoting business growth, peace, security and development in Enugu State.

Pastor Jideonwu emphasized the prophetic significance of the governor’s slogan “Enugu State is in the Hands of God”, saying: “The caption you have given Enugu State will go far and I pray nobody changes it that Enugu State is in the Hands of God”.

His words: “Since America branded the Dollar ‘In God We Trust’, every other currency globally is denominated on the Dollar till Thy Kingdom Come.

“And my earnest prayer is that subsequent administrations will hold unto this declaration (EnuguStateis in the Hands of God). It is a prophetic declaration for Enugu State”.

Corroborating the comments made by his contemporaries, Rev. Ugo Chime stressed that Gov. Ugwuanyi’s support and commitment including his presence at the events of members of the Organized Private Sector that involved foreign partners has opened doors for the business community in Enugu State.

Inaugurating the building, Gov. Ugwuanyi pointed out that the delivery of the new SECCIMA Secretariat complex consolidates ECCIMMA’s position as the mother Chamber that birthed the South East Chamber, adding that the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) centre is time-honoured and has gained wider acceptance in recent times.

“This mode of settling civil or commercial disputes without recourse to litigation (outside the court room) saves time and cost while eliminating the hurdles of judicial process”, the governor said, as he enjoined all players in the Organized Private Sector within the Chamber’s area of coverage to take advantage of the ADR mechanism in resolving all disputes they may encounter in the course of their businesses.

Appreciating the leadership and members of ECCIMA for their trust and confidence in him, particularly for standing with his administration through the difficult times, Gov. Ugwuanyi said: “We did not let you down; the storms are quietening, and the sun is beginning to shine again!

“Our administration shall continue to prioritize peace, security and enabling environment for inclusive business in the state, in keeping with our mandate”.

The Permanent Secretary, Enugu State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Godwin Anigbo was present at the event while the President of SECCIMA, Sir Humphrey Ngonadi was represented at the event by the Deputy President, Dr. Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh