From Left to Right) Mr My Ace-China, the chief executive officer of Construction and Housing Mayor limited, Emi-Membre Otaji and Dr. Gbarale Korsi, representing Professor Barineme Fakae, former Vice Chancellor Rivers State University,Port Harcourt, Amaechi Okonkwo, Chairman Correspondent’s Chapel.

* NACCIMA cautions against endless political crisis to allow stronger public-private sector partnership to grow Rivers economy

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

An entrepreneur, Mr. My-Ace China, has called on the Rivers State government and the media to spearhead the campaign to change the negative perception of investors about Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital to attract investments.

China, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Construction and Housing Mayor Limited, made the call on Monday, while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Rivers NUJ 2023 Correspondents’ Week, in Port Harcourt.

The week is organized by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in partner with the ‘Mayor of Housing’ with the theme: ‘Rivers State And Quest For Ideal Investment Climate: Role Of The Media”.

He stated that there was the need for government to increase it’s support to the media, for it to continue to engage in positively reportage of activities that promote the state.

China, who is popularly known as ‘Mayor of Housing’, while residents of the state were tired of the capital flight from Port Harcourt, he said even the government was tired of making promises without fulfilling them.

He said: “Entertainers are tired of the Lagos, Port Harcourt dichotomy. The greatest thing we are tired of is the capital flight. We are tired of that narrative that Port Harcourt is unsafe.

“The second part of what I want to say is that we are tired. I have been in Rivers State long enough to feel the pulse of the people; we are tired.

“Talk to the incumbent governor, he will tell you that he is tired of politicking and politics, he is hungry for value-ticking and value-tics. He is tired of political promises without dividends of democracy. He is tired of promises without deliverables.

“He is so passionate about delivering deliverables to a level to his does not mind whose ox is gored. He is committed to that and I admire him greatly.”

On challenges faced by the Real Estate Companies in building houses in the state he said there is the problems range from the problems of Land grabbing by pretenders in business,the negative narrative painted about that Port Harcourt and  Rivers State are insecure and lack the ease of doing business and lack of roads linking developing areas.

He explained that he explained that unlike other States which normally welcomes investors that are in real estate business because River State has enough money from oil and his own people also make money from oil companies.

The Entreprenurer also the entrepreneur also said that the negative narrative that Rivers State is not safe also scares investors and it keeps giving capital flight away from the state. He cited the example that his finds it difficult to convince his partners to invest in the state that it is safe.

The “Mayor of Housing” pointed out that the  menace of Land grabbing has forced many out of business citing example that the Housing Estate project his company is doing at Alesa-Eleme in Eleme local government area of the state, local vigilantes made of indigenes of the area will soon be launched.

NACCIMA cautions against endless political crisis to allow stronger public-private sector partnership to grow Rivers economy.

The Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA has  called on the Political actors   stop the political crisis and face governance for which they were elected to boost Investments into the state.

Dr Emi-Membre Otaji, Medical Doctor of over 40 years practice is a former Commissioner of Health during the former Governor Dr. Peter Odili’s administration now a seasoned Entreprenurer warned on consequences prolonged political crisis crippling the both local and foreign investments into the state.

The serial Entreprenurer who has diverse businesses in maritime and Oil and Gas reminded the political Actors in State they were elected to give good governance to the people of the state to improve their living conditions.

Deputy National President, Dr Emi-Membre Otaji and a seasoned Entreprenurer of NACCIMA has called for a deliberate, stronger public-private sector partnership to boost investments and grow the economy of Rivers State.

Deputy National President of NACCIMA, Dr Emi-Membere Otaji, made the call in Port Harcourt at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Correspondents Week in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The week is organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, in partnership with the Mayor of Housing, with the theme;” Rivers State and Quest for Ideal Investment Climate: Role of the Media”.

Otaji, who was the keynote speaker, regretted that Rivers State was the oil and gas capital of Nigeria, yet oil and gas businesses and major business decisions were taken in Lagos because there is always an enabling environment for private business Investment.

He described the theme and sub-theme of the event as apt, noting that while it was cheaper for entrepreneurs to import due to cost of production, the economy will continue to suffer due to capital flight and lost jobs from lack of manufacturing in-country.

According to him, for the state to grow economically, there must be deliberate infrastructural development across the 23 LGAs, as well as support and incentives for SMEs as obtainable in Lagos.

He said, “There must be deliberate infrastructure around the 23 LGAs for people living there to curb urban-rural migration, just like in US, where every state has numerous cities. So infrastructural developmeny should be state-wide.

“There must be intentional and deliberate support for the micro, small and medium enterprises. These enterprises employ more people than the public sector. They must be supported, they form the basis of our GDP and employment of labour.

There must be intentional incentives for businesses “to thrive, because the SMEs are crying. Lagos and Ogun are deliberately attracting investments into the state with so many incentives. They are giving businesses all the support to thrive.

“There must be strategic and deliberate development as obtainable in Lagos and Ogun.

“The time for a deliberate, stronger public-private sector partnership in Rivers State is now.”

He also lamented Governor Siminalayi Fubara is seriously being distracted from governance caused endless squabbles and advised the former Governor Nyesom Wike Minister of Federal Capital Territory to remember that he governed without distraction because Rivers people are the losers.