Yolamchi Ukaga, Aba
Mr. Chimezie Oguh, head of Mission of the Nigerian Consulate in Shanghai, China, has advised Aba entrepreneurs, especially importers from China, to always transact their businesses through the right channels to avoid being short-changed.
Oguh gave this advice Wednesday, during the maiden edition of Aba South Constituency Summit, with the theme: Enhancing Small Scale Business Opportunities and Partnership Between Nigeria and China in the COVID-19 Era.
The summit which was organised by Obinna Ichita, member representing Aba South State Constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly, was attended by the cream of Aba business community.
Oguh observed that all the complaints he got from the people were fallouts of business trust.
He expressed the need for a proper change in the manner Aba operators do their businesses.
“All of us agreed that Aba businessmen have to change the way they do their businesses. You should come together as one, use a platform to do your business. Don’t transmit money through unregistered agents.
“Use banks, register your companies. These are legitimate ways you can operate so that if there’s any fallout, you can go and complain and legally it will be pursued.
“The world is moving fast and anybody who is lagging behind can’t catch up. You have to expand the horizon of your business. You have to know what’s happening in the countries you are doing business in.
“When you get to China, go to the Nigerian mission and report your presence so that if there’s any fallout, the embassy will intervene.
“There are some things you cannot solve as an individual in a foreign land of which your embassy can play a huge role,” he stated.
He, however, assured that all their complaints as regards to other issues as visas and short-changing after payment for goods will be properly looked into.
Ichita, the organiser of the summit explained that he convened the summit, because of the present realities that Aba businessmen complained about, which they are calling for solutions.
“The realities is that preponderance of the businessmen in Aba import from China. Another reality is that there are travel restrictions that made it a little bit difficult for them to go to China.
“The reality is also that there is no longer possibility for them to conduct pre-shipment assessment or inspection of their goods. It is also a reality that most times, they don’t receive what they ordered for.
“Again, most of them are short-changed by the people they conduct business with in China.
“And it’s based on this that we decided that the best thing is to get the person who’s representing us in China to come down here and have a face-to-face interaction with our people so that our people can ventilate their frustrations and express themselves fully”.
Ichita said that the summit has armed the Head of Mission of the Nigerian Consulate in Shanghai with information he can work on upon resumption of duties and know how to tackle the listed challenges from businessmen.
The lawmaker promised that the summit will not end with China, as there are still other countries where Aba businessmen still have issues they need to bring to the knowledge of authorities.
“We’ll not stop here. Like I said, most of the people import from China, some others import from Europe, especially spare parts. And you know how they do it in Europe. A policy in one country reflects in the other 27 European countries.
“So, we’re going to get an ambassador of such countries to come and educate our people.
Ichita advised Aba entrepreneurs to come together so that they can channel their complaints to the relevant authorities for solution.