Kingsley Wenenda Weli,Port Harcourt based Business man, Chieftain of APC and Convener of Unity House Foundation,UDF,a peace, social justice and good governance group.
*Calls on Fubara to convoke urgent Economic Summit for the State
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A prominent Stakeholder in Rivers State, and a Port Harcourt-based businessman, who is a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kingsley Wenenda Weli, has blamed the negative narratives of the toxic political fight between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital for scaring potential Investors out of the state.
Weli, who is also the Convener of the Unity House Foundation (UHF), a peace, social justice and good governance advocacy group who expressed frustrations that good governance and the dividends of democracy have taken flight in the state due to the tussle cautioned that no serious potential Investors will come to the state do business in the present rancorous political atmosphere.
He cautioned as long as such narratives continue in the local and international media platforms no investor will drop a dime in the state and that would also affect good governance in the state.
According to Weli” No investor both local or foreign will risk a dime in Rivers State under the never-ending negative narrative of the toxic political tussle between Wike and Fubara in both local and foreign media”
Weli who professed to be a friend to both Wike, Fubara and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the former Governor and Minister of Transportation regretted that the toxic political fight in the State has been taken too far and the common Rivers people are suffering the consequences.
As a way out of the quagmire, Weli, who is also a Lawyer, charged the media to downplay the reportage of the toxic political fights in the state but join in setting economic and Investment agenda for the state.
As part of the measures to change the negative narrative of Rivers State, he called on the government and the media to support the private initiative to convoke an Economic Summit for the State slated for 22nd March 2023.
Weli told Journalists that at the proposed Summit, Investment experts and potential Investors will be invited to discuss the investment potentials and set a Development Agenda for the State.
According to the businessmen are just waiting for the right atmosphere devoid of toxic politics to invest in the enormous natural resources in the State.
He stated that for the proposed Economic Summit,” We are not asking the State Government to sponsor it, all we want is for it to key into it and create enabling political environment for willing private business concerns kickstart set the agenda for businesses and Commerce in the State.”
Weli further lamented that it is regrettable that at this time when Nigerians are finding it difficult to feed, the state has abandoned the Multi-Billion Naira Songhai Integrated Farm, Banana Farm, Fish Farms and others which are capable of ensuring food sufficiency and generating revenue for the State.
In his response on behalf of the Journalists at the interactive session, Amaechi Okonkwo, Chairman of Correspondent’s Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists said media practitioners are also interested in supporting businesses to grow in the state.
Also, Segun Owolabi, the Business Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Super 93.3 FM said Journalists in the State are equally concerned about the tense political atmosphere in the State which is not healthy for business and investments in the State. He said the ultimate losers are the common Rivers people.