More farmers have turned out to be registered as members of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The President, LCCI, Mr. Babatunde Ruwase, disclosed this on Wednesday during the 2018 induction ceremony into the chamber in Lagos.
Ruwase noted that this was a sign that people had started recognising farming as business.
He said, “Farming business was not what people liked to do but today, 20 farmers have joined the chamber out of the 105 new members admitted. They are tractor assemblers, tractor hirers, and people who are producing drugs for farming.
“This is an indication that many people are embracing farming as business.”
He said that 105 members were inducted making it the largest number of new members admitted into the chamber in recent times.
Ruwase said, “A good number of them are graduates of our mentoring programme that prepares young men and women to go into business.
“We also have people from the Information and Communications Technology sector and real estate.
“Real estate is the barometer of measuring recession. If more people are going into the real estate business, it means that indeed we are coming out of recession.”
According to him, the members have stated their expectations from the chamber and he is studying them to see how best to meet those expectations.
He advised members on how to maintain the tradition of the chamber which involves high ethical standards, integrity, and good corporate governance in business practice.
He said, “As businessmen and women, we have obligations which transcend profit making. We should pay adequate attention to integrity in our business transactions and practices.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, Membership Welfare Committee, Mr. Soboma Ajumogobia, disclosed that the companies had fulfilled all criteria to become members of the chamber.
He urged members to participate in all activities of the chamber and pay their subscription dues promptly.
“I will like to reiterate the need for high quality representation at the level of chief executive officers and managing directors or at least at the senior management level in participating in the activities of the chamber.
Source: Punch