As the world marked the International Women’s Day 2020, the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA) says it wants to empower women economically for them to make greater impact in the society. 

Speaking at a Seminar on Ease of Doing Business with US Companies to mark the International Women’s Day 2020 organized by the Chamber in conjunction with the Residential Area (RA) Ladies Association, Bonny, held in Bonny, President of BOCCIMA, Elder Lawrence Jumbo said women were a powerful force for change and a sustaining force behind most achievements of men across the globe.

He, therefore, challenged women to use their influence to correct anomalies in the society and remain diligent in the upbringing of their children, calling for multilateral support for BOCCIMA given the huge prospects that it holds, expressing gratitude for the strategic input of the United States Embassy and the United States Trade Mission in Nigeria.

Participants at the seminar, mostly, women from different parts of Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria were unanimous that women, as a collective, must converge their strengths and resources to make significant progress in business, family and society.

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In her presentation, the Director General of the Chamber, Mrs. Constance Nwokejiobi disclosed that BOCCIMA envisions an economic development template that will empower women and also make Bonny a thriving economic hub in the nearest future.

She stated that, to achieve this objective, BOCCIMA was offering to its current and prospective members, strategic services such as Advocacy, Networking Opportunities, Ideas Sharing Template, Digital Management, Trade Missions and Events, Structuring of Businesses, Capacity Building, and Partnerships.

Mrs. Nwokejiobi further disclosed that in the past year, the chamber has been engaging strategically with relevant stakeholders such as the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, the Bonny Council of Chiefs, captains of industry within and outside the country, foreign trade missions, embassies and consulates, and diverse business groups, and connecting with global partners, to expand the scope of opportunities available to its members. 

On her part, Vice Chairman of Bonny LGA, Anengi Barasua commended BOCCIMA for organizing the programme, describing it as “impactful, saying it would enhance the capacity of the women of the area to expand their businesses and make better investments, adding that the educative nature of the seminar would go a long way to spur the women to achieve more both in business and the homefront.

Speaking, Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Lady Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple, who was accompanied by her executives, commended the organizers for putting together such an event, pointing out that it holds huge prospects of positively impacting the women, stating, however, that for greater impact, subsequent events should include the men, so that they share ideas and join the discussion on how to better manage our homes, impact society and do business.

One of the dignitaries, Hajia Fatima Mai-Bornu praised the quality of content dispensed at the event, describing it as “very wonderful, very revealing”, noting that it provided a veritable avenue for women to discuss issues germane to their wellbeing in business and family, adding that it was important that subsequent events capture the views of both men and women.

As part of their partnership with the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA), the United States Embassy and the United States Trade Mission made presentations on Ease of Doing Business with US Companies, outlining the various requirements and the various opportunities for small and medium scale enterprises to grow.

Earlier while welcoming the participants, President of the RA Ladies Association, Mrs. Grace Ikufisile noted that the theme for this year’s event, “Each for Equal” aptly conveys the fact that women should stand with each other in order to achieve their dreams, stressing that more can be achieved through collaboration and partnerships.

“This is a good collaboration between the RA Ladies Association and the Bonny Chamber of Commerce and others. At all levels, women should support one another. It is a very great thing to do. No single tree can make a forest. We all can do it together.”

On her part, a former President of the RA Ladies Association, Mrs. Tessy Biobaku praised the programme, saying that it will go a long way in engendering a paradigm shift in the thoughts, beliefs and narratives surrounding women, noting that it was imperative that women support each other and also support their spouses with a view to achieving holistic progress in business and on the home front.

Biobaku, who is also a gender rights advocate, urged the men to do some introspection as to how to fashion out solutions, in tandem with their spouses, to challenges facing the home and also provide the necessary support to the pursuits of their wives.

Dignitaries at the event, which held simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt, via video conferencing,  include a board member of BOCCIMA, Engr. Biekpo Jumbo, a Permanent Secretary in the Rivers State Government, Mr. Fubara Hart, Professor Jessica Ezekiel-Hart, and a former President of the Bonny Improvement Association, Abuja Branch, Lady Carol Allison.

Others are the Special Advisers to the Bonny LGA Chairman on Women Affairs, Ms Patience Green, and Religious Affairs, Mrs. Aritogha Banigo, Senior Pastor of Revelation Ministry, Pastor Carol Benstowe, and Community Relations Coordinator of Mobil Producing Nigeria, Bonny River Terminal, Bonny, Mr. Bara Kabaka Brown, among others.