By Julie Sylvia, Onitsha
The leadership of Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, (ONICCIMA), and UNIZIK Business School have partnered with the caretaker committee of Onitsha Main Market Traders Union (OMMATU), Anambra State, led by Chief Innocent Ezeoha, on trade and commerce growth.
The Director General of ONICCIMA, Mr. Stanley Anyadufu, who led a delegation to the OMMATU office, explained that ONICCIMA partnered with UNIZIK Business School, to help the Traders to be prepared and respond proactively to the changes coming in the future. He stated that the economy of Anambra state, largely driven by trade and commerce has to adapt to the innovations around.
“The future of trade and commerce will be driven by aggregation, warehousing and e-commerce (internet of things)”, Anyadufu said while assuring that traders at the Onitsha Main Market won’t be left behind.
He announced that they partnered with UNIZIK Business School, to introduce the teaching of the Chinese language to Traders to enable perform their business transactions with their Chinese partners.
The Head of the UNIZIK delegation and also the Deputy Director of UNIZIK Business School, Associate Professor Chinedu Onyeizugbe, while thanking OMMATU, for their warm reception also advised them to prepare themselves for the inevitable future changes in the business environment.
According to him, “there may be no physical shops in the next 15 years. If we don’t do the right thing, our businesses may go into extinction”.
He further stated that the Chinese language will be taught in addition to other courses like basic accounting, and business management. “The Chinese language will be a three-month course and is slated to begin in September 2022. Classes will be held every Saturday and Sunday which will alternate between physical and virtual classes.”
The Chairman of OMMATU, expressed his appreciation to UNIZIK Business School and ONICCIMA, for bringing such a program to the Traders that will help them upscale their businesses.
Chief Ezeoha, who was flanked by the three zonal chairmen of OMMATU, promised that they would be allowed to address the zonal executives and their members from next week.
In his speech, the Secretary of OMMATU, Mr Obi Barth Ifediora, advised the Traders not to miss this unique opportunity because the constant upgrade of knowledge is necessary to build capacity in business.
