The dialogue that may lead to collaboration for a China-Nigeria vocational institute has been welcomed by the organized private sector (OPS) in Port Harcourt.
Godwin Etim, an engineer who is second deputy president of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), commended the brains behind the initiative.
Etim, the managing director and chief executive officer Goddie Chemicals International Limited, described the many benefits such an initiative was bound to draw down to the Niger Delta as a region and Nigeria as a whole.
Etim made this assertion shortly after a meeting held at Presidential Hotel in Port Harcourt where he represented Chinyere Nwoga, the PHCCIMA President.
According to him, it was a value-laden meeting brokered by the council and management of Garden City Premier Business School and North-South Global Academy Limited (Nigeria), that witnessed a Meet-and-Greet session with foreign partners Shandong University of Engineering and Vocational Technology (China), and Beijing Zhonghui Suiyue Technology Co. Limited (China) to facilitate important dialogue, and introduce the China-Nigeria Vocational Institute. He said this is aimed at enhancing technical education and vocational training, thereby equipping businesses with the necessary skills for improved performance and productivity.
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The Chinese team was led by Sun Zhi Yun (accompanied by Li Baiyan) who is chairman of companies including Hainan Gaoyi Energy Investment Co. Ltd. They had in their midst a female coordinator and interpreter, Julie Zhu, who said she helps Nigeria find investors around the world. In the delegation is also a team of skills trainers.
The initiative is said to have emerged following identified significant challenges related to productivity, and stemming from lack of adequate essential skills and qualified manpower.
PHCCIMA as a group demonstrated huge presence giving valuable insights and expertise as the leading organized private sector in the state.
The initiative according to participants is strategic as it aligns with shared goal of fostering skill development and promoting industrial productivity and growth in Nigeria.
Attendance witnessed stakeholders from government, organized private sector, and partner institutions-both local and international-to discuss the framework of collaboration and identify potential synergies.
Giving details at the event, Silva Opuala-Charles, the anchor of the Port Harcourt Business Breakfast Meeting series and the anchor of the ‘Meet-and-Greet’ session in Port Harcourt, said the Chinese are a serious people who he said are keen on investment. He said they are focused after opportunities and profit, and may not be interested in whether there was political tension or not.
