The Cross River State Commissioner for Commerce, Dr. Abigail Duke Orok, said Ikom Local Government Area is a strategic commercial nerve centre for business development that will impact positively on the citizenry if properly harnessed.
Abigail noted that considering the land border and natural potentials in almost all the Agric value chains in the area, Ikom remains one of the Local Government Areas the present administration is determined to explore for economic benefits.
She stated this when the Ikom Chamber of Commerce paid her a courtesy visit in her Office, in Calabar recently.
According her the State Government is working towards providing training and support to businesses and entrepreneurs across the state to enhance their global competitiveness and increase their chance of participating in International trade.
Mrs. Orok stressed the need for them to be repositioned in their dealings to adequately contribute their quotas in the overall economic development of the state by fostering a genuine competitive business environment and facilitating other key factors like economic diversification.
She advised the Chamber to partner with the Ministries of Power and Lands to address other challenges like lack of power supply to ease their business operation as well as the request for the acquisition of land to establish their chamber’s office in Ikom.
Dr Orok solicited for their professional advice as she rolled out plans to build a robust business environment that will enhance entrepreneurial reawakening.
Earlier, the President, Ikom Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Flora Takim-Ndifon, pointed out that they were in the Ministry to familiarize with new Commissioner because they recognized the strategic and catalytic role the Government plays in facilitating business growth and prosperity.
While thanking the Commissioner for the symbiotic relationship between the business community and Government, Mrs. Takim-Ndifon appealed to Government make deliberate policies that will contribute to the rapid growth of the state and promised the support the Ministry whenever they are called
Highlight of the visit was decoration of the Commissioner and Director of Administration as Honourable Members of the Chamber.
The Director of Administration, Mrs Glory Odu Orji, charged the chamber to work hard and keep hope alive, as the Ministry is on top gear to ensure that Government achieve set goals
