The President of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry,Mines and Agriculture (UCCIMA), Hon Chidi Nkem Aruoma, has warned business owners in Abia State, to desist from associating with Umuahia Chamber Movement, as it is not an affiliate of UCCIMA.
According to Hon Aruoma, the said group has been parading and organizing meetings, exhibitions in the guise of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture, stating that the activities of the association were not authorized by UCCIMA, therefore any body associating with it,is doing so at his own risk.
In a Release signed by the President of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (UCCIMA) and made available to newsmen, Hon Chidi Nkem Aruoma, said the members of the Umuahia Chamber Movement are not registered members of the UCCIMA, which is the authentic body housing business owners in Umuahia,warning those behind the impersonation to desist forthwith or face the full weight of the Law.
Meanwhile,the UCCIMA President disclosed that his attention was drawn to the illegal and unauthorized gathering of some people in the name of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UCCIMA),somewhere in Umuahia and associating the esteemed Chamber with the sobriquet “Umuahia Chamber Movement” and stated that
no Meeting or Exhibition under the banner of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UCCIMA) was authorized by him.
He added that the UCCIMA does not have an affiliate body by the name “Umuahia Chamber Movement”, or whatever name called, maintaining that the purported meeting and Exhibition held in Umuahia on June 26, 2024 under signpost of “Umuahia Chamber Movement” were not from UCCIMA and therefore, their outcome stands void.
Aruoma further added that the names of the attendees to the meeting and organizers of the exhibition are not in the Chamber’s Register, which is in his custody. “No group can hold a meeting or organize an Exhibition under the ensign of UCCIMA without being first a member. No group has the right to associate the Chamber with any affiliate association like the one above without the authorization of the Chamber.
“No one can claim to be a member of UCCIMA when he/she has not paid his dues as constitutionally provided or attends meetings of the Chamber for upward of three (3) years. The Constitution of UCCIMA is clear on that”.
He disclosed that the purported Exhibitor ceased to be a member of the UCCIMA about Eleven years (11) ago and therefore, has no mandate to organize any event of such,using the name of UCCIMA or any coinage that tends to hoodwink the unsuspecting public into thinking that Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, has an affiliate body that organized an event.
Continuing, he stated that the convener of the said movement has never attended any UCCIMA meeting, paid any annual dues or participate in any UCCIMA event in the last twelve years since he left office in 2012, where he grounded the chamber, owing rents to the landlord and staff.
He said the chamber was rescued by the immediate past President who officially registered the Chamber in CAC and gave it a new status.
“The name Umuahia Chamber Movement is alien Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture because there is no such name in the official Register.
“The general public particularly the Abia State Government, Commissioner for Trade, Commerce and Industry, organized private sector (OPS), Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Umuahia and environs, including investors across Nigeria, are hereby informed to be wary of this group that goes by the name of Umuahia Chamber Movement.
“There’s only one UCCIMA that is duly registered and operational with fully constituted executives”,he said.
Aruoma, however, disclosed that any group of persons are free to register another Chamber of commerce in Corporate Affairs Commission and compete like the other newly registered and operational ones, giving reference to Arochukwu Chamber of Commerce, Ohafia Chamber of Commerce, Abia North Chamber of Commerce, pointing that Enugu Chamber of Commerce gave birth to Ninth Mile Chamber of Commerce and Agwu Chamber of Commerce, while In Ebonyi State, there is Ebonyi chamber of Commerce and Salt City Chamber of Commerce.
” In Imo State, there is now, Mbaise Chamber of Commerce and Nkwerre Chamber of Commerce.
“The use of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce registered logo by the said movement is fraudulent and we will nolonger tolerate any group parading itself as UCCIMA. Henceforth, we’ll confront any of such activities with a Legal action.
