LCCI unveils trade fair prospectus - Expects 1.5 million participants

Stories by Sola Fadare, Lagos - updated: Tuesday 24-06-2008

Charles Ugwu,
Min. of Commerce & IndustryThe Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has presented the prospectus of the 2008 Lagos International Trade Fair to herald the preparation for the event which has always been seen as the oldest, the biggest and the best in Africa.

Speaking in Lagos on the readiness of the Chamber to hold an eventful and hitch free Fair, the President of LCCI, Mr. Solomon Kayode Onafowokan, disclosed that the chamber had broadened the horizon and scope of investment opportunities of the exhibitors over the year’s and this year’s fair would offer better delivery to them, adding that the annual fair was an opportunity to unleash and showcase the private sector potentials in Nigeria “given the abundant entrepreneurial potentials and talents in the country, we believe the private sector is ready and able to take up the challenge of being the driver of the economic growth process".

Speaking further, Onafowokan revealed that the fair would hold between Friday 7th and Sunday 16th November, 2008 at the Trade Fair Complex along Lagos/Badagry Expressway with the theme “Boosting Entrepreneurial Development for Investment Growth” , adding that the chamber has put modalities in place accommodate over 1,500,000 visitors from within and outside the country including businessmen, investors, consumers, top government officials and representatives of Nigeria’s important trading houses and those seeking for joint venture partnerships.
The LCCI boss stressed that the theme was carefully chosen to underscore the significance of entrepreneurs, who he described as the soul and the major drivers of any economy, in the drive to boost investment and accelerate economic growth.

“They are risk takers, the wealth creators and the innovators. They provide the platform to boost incomes and reduce poverty through the creation of jobs. An economy can only progress at a pace propor-tional to the development of its corps of entrepreneurs. The truth is that it is the entrepreneurs that make things happen in an economy.” he averred.

Onafowokan said the invitation to participate was open to all sectors of the economy which include the Financial Services, Food and Beverages, Agriculture Machineries, Processing, Preservation and Packaging Equip-ments, Building and Construction and others.

He affirmed that the authorities of the Trade Fair Complex have thrown its weight at the Fair and therefore assured the teeming exhibitors of eventful and hitch free exhibition.

Formally presenting the prospectus, the former Minister of Industry and the Vice President of LCCI, Chief Mrs. Nike Akande, observed that there was no gainsaying the fact that Lagos International Trade Fair remained the biggest and the best in the country, adding that the fair had offered remarkable oppor-tunities to small, medium and large industries.

NBC restates commitment to environmental protection

The Nigerian Bottling Company has restated its commitment to environ-mental protection in Nigeria. The multinational bottler of Coca-Cola products in Nigeria made this known recently at a forum in Lagos. The event, with the theme: “CO2 kick the habit: Towards a low Carbon Economy,” drew many government officials, environmentalists and Media to the NCF Centre, Lekki. In attendance was the first Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, represented by Mrs. Veronica Panos, the Executive Chairman of NCF, Ambassador Hamzat Amadu; Executive Director NCF, Professor Emmanuel Obot; Consumer Services Manager NBC Plc, Mr. George Fagbore and the Head of Public Affairs, Chevron, Mr. Odumagbo. Others included Rosabel Advertising and school children from across the state.

Speaking at the event, the Consumer Services Manager, NBC Plc, Mr. George Fagbore said that “NBC sponsored the event to promote the under-standing that communities are fundamental to changing attitudes towards environmental issues. “He stated that NBC is advocating partnership to ensure people enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. Fagbore concluded that NBC Plc is committed to encouraging initiatives that promote low carbon economies and lifestyles such as improved energy efficiencies, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly activities.

The Consumer Services Manager explained that the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling group of which NBC is a member has made a committment to build fifteen Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plants in 15 bottling plants in 12 of its operating countries by 2010, one of which will be at NBC’s Ikeja Plant. CHP energy involves the use of natural gas to produce electricity and the waste gas can be used for producing heat. The CHP Plants will ensure a significant reduction of CO2 emissions from overall production in each of those bottling facilities by 20 per cent. Over the years, the Nigerian Bottling Company has contributed to environmental development and protection.

The company recently partnered with the Lagos Mainland Local Govern-ment to clean the environment on World Water Day in Lagos. At the occasion the representative of the First Lady of Lagos State, Mrs. Panos said that, “the day was set aside to draw global attention to environmental issues and remind ourselves of the need to promote and encourage responsible and sustainable exploitation of our natural resources as the issue of climatic change and depletion of the ozone layer has continued to attract global attention.”

She further stated that the theme for this year’s World Environment Day, ‘CO2 kick the habit: Towards a low Carbon Economy’ which was held world wide few weeks ago, could not have come at better time as increasing volume on carbon dioxide also known as green house gas has become a major concern because of its direct effect on global warming.

She explained that “the issue calls for concerted effort on our part to reduce, if possible stop carbon emitting activities.

“We should continue to enlighten the public on the need to change our habit and embrace efforts that promote a healthy and sustainable environment” she said.

In his own remarks, the Chairman, Executive Council of the NCF, Ambassador Hamzat Amadu, called on both individuals and corporate organisations to make concerted effort to reduce emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere because of its negative effect on man and the ecosystem. “The increasing quantity of these gases in the atmosphere has been reported to increase earth surface temperature and this is causing unpredicted changes in weather pattern,” he said.