UCCIMA threatens legal action against impostors

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

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President of UCCIMA, Hon. Chidi Aruoma

Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UCCIMA), has warned that it would henceforth take legal action against anyone or group that illegally uses its name to mount exhibitions or any other business without authorization.

President of UCCIMA, Hon. Chief Chidi Aruoma, gave the warning in a statement in Umuahia against the backdrop of an exhibition by a group he called Umuahia Chamber Movement in the Abia State capital last June, insisting that he name was coined to deceive the public and alerted that the leader of the group allegedly ceased to be a member of UCCIMA about 12 years ago.

The UCCIMA President advised that people should rather go and register their own Chambers of Commerce instead of illegally using UCCIMA, explaining that the guidelines for being a member of UCCIMA were clear.

Aruoma, in his statement titled “Re- Umuahia Chamber Movement,” stated:

“My attention has been drawn to an 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 our esteemed Chamber with the sobriquet “Umuahia Chamber Movement” and wish to state as follows:

“That no Meeting or Exhibition under the banner of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (UCCIMA) was authorized by me as the President of the Chamber.

“That UCCIMA does not have an affiliate by the name “Umuahia Chamber Movement” or whatever name called. That the purported meeting and Exhibition held somewhere in Umuahia on June 26, 2024 under signpost of “Umuahia Chamber Movement” were NOT from UCCIMA and therefore their outcome stands void.”

He also frowned at the use of Umuahia Chamber of Commerce registered logo by the said movement, describing it as “fraudulent.”

The UCCIMA leader maintained that the names of the attendees to the meeting and organizers of the Exhibition were not in the Chambers Register in his custody.

He explained that no one could 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.

“No group can hold a meeting or organize an Exhibition under the ensign of UCCIMA without being first a member,” adding that “no group has the right to associate the Chamber with any affiliate association like the one above without the authorization of Chamber.”

Hon. Aruoma alleged 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.

“That the name ‘Umuahia Chamber Movement’ is alien to Umuahia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture because there is no such name in the official Register.

“The convener of the said movement has never attended any UCCIMA meeting, paid any annual dues or participated in any UCCIMA event in the last twelve years since he left office in 2012,” he further alleged.

He therefore advised interested persons to go and registers their own chambers instead of resorting to using UCCIMA illegally as there was no other UCIMMA outside the one he was the current leader.

“There’s only one UCCIMA duly registered and operational with a fully constituted executive.

Any group of persons are free to register another Chamber of Commerce in the Corporate Affairs Commission and compete like the other newly registered and operational ones like Arochukwu Chamber of Commerce, Ohafia Chamber of Commerce, Abia North Chamber of Commerce,” he counseled.

 The UCCIMA boss therefore urged 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” “to be wary of this group that goes by the name of Umuahia Chamber Movement.” 

 “We will henceforth use legal actions on anyone or group of persons who are found parading themselves with the name Umuahia Chamber of Commerce,” he warned, adding that “the gentle strides of a Lion does not mean weakness.”