The Chairman of the Sekondi-Takoradi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (STCCI), Mr Issa Ouedraoguo, has called on members of the chamber to put the rift between the regional association and the national body behind them.
He has therefore called on members to join hands with the national body, the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) to promote a peaceful business atmosphere in Ghana.
His call was contained in a press release signed and copied to the Daily Graphic in Accra.
“The division between the STCCI and the GCCI is not desirable in the larger interest of the Western Region’s economic development.
“Neither separatism nor disunity has ever contributed to building a nation or achieving any goal collectively. This is not the time for division; we must unite and use our combined strength to maximise the opportunities which abound,” he said.
Time for collaboration
Mr Ouedraoguo urged members of the STCCI to collaborate effectively with the GCCI to ensure the success of the business community in Ghana.
“The undeniable fact remains that Sekondi/Takoradi has no room for two chambers of commerce and industry, and I, therefore, take this opportunity to urge the business community in the Western Region to collaborate with the national branch of the chamber of commerce and industry to promote businesses in the Western Region and the nation as a whole,” he added.
Initiatives and programmes
In the coming years, Mr Ouedraoguo said, the Sekondi-Takoradi chapter of the GCCI would embark on programmes and initiatives aimed at making the business community in the Western Region efficient, effective and profitable.
According to him, the chapter will build systems to work closely with institutions like the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Association of Ghana Industries and the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly to change the trend of doing business in the region.
He noted that the chamber would design initiatives aimed at rebuilding trust and confidence and increase membership of the business community in the chamber.