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Govt Names Int’l Conference Centre After Obi Wali
Newly constructed International Conference Center on Chief G. U. Ake Bypass has been named after Senator Obi Wali, Governor Chibuike Amaechi has announced.
Amaechi announced the decision when he played host to his kinsmen and prominent Ikwerre traditional rulers at Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday, under the auspices of the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Traditional Rulers.
He said the government took the decision because late Obi Wali was a national figure and gift to Ikwerre people, hinting that more public buildings would be named after prominent sons and daughters of the state.
The governor said his administration has ensured that projects were evenly spread across the state in keeping with his detribalized attitude to governance for which, he recalled that the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) gave him a title for taking away their pains by developing their area hitherto left out of the development plans of previous administrations in the state.
Frowning at the attitude of some Ikwerre politicians who specialise in betraying their own, the Rivers State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi criticised the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, who was his former chief of staff, for failing the integrity test where he (Wike) had sworn with the names of his children never to betray him (Amaechi) but now has done so.
Amaechi disclosed this when his kinsmen and prominent Ikwerre traditional rulers visited him at Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday, under the auspices of the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Traditional Rulers.
The governor recalled that in order to convince him to forward his name as ministerial nominee to President Goodluck Jonathan, Wike had sworn with his own children that he would never betray him, but was to betray him after getting his ministerial appointment from President Jonathan.
“I told my friends who are governors, I said when you will be betrayed at the end of 2015, you will almost be in a state of coma because you have not experienced it. Your speech did mention the former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Austin Opara, your speech also mentioned the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike. The Minister of State for Education swore with the names of his children that he would never betray me, that I should put his name forward for minister. I say, he swore with the names of his children.”
“No matter the condition, I will never swear with the names of my children, nothing will make me swear with the names of my children. But if I make the mistake of swearing with the names of my children, nothing outside God will make me betray you. Not because any harm will befall the children… It is the honour you bestow on those children that should make you not to betray whatever word you have given to anybody.
“In fact, if you listen very well, the Minister of State for Education was saying that I wasn’t the person who nominated him until a Rivers delegation went to see the president and the president said, ‘I don’t even know the man (Wike). It was Amaechi that brought him. I stopped him but Amaechi insisted that I must take him (Wike).
“There are not too many elites with character, not too many. In their quest for power and their desire to accumulate wealth, they can sell their mother, some elites can sell their mother.”
Amaechi noted that history would judge those who say one thing and do another as he equally recounted how he had helped persons, only to be betrayed by these same persons.
Amaechi said his policies in government have been to develop all parts of the state.
“I made sure that I prefer to be called a Rivers Governor, not an Ikwerre governor, so I made sure that if we took a road to Ikwerre, we would take it to Gokana”.
Earlier, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Ikwerre Traditional Rulers, Eze Blessing Wagor, acknowledged that Governor Amaechi had been a victim of betrayal in several instances but commended his strength of character and courage in facing up to treacherous behaviour.
He said the governor had helped to install Ikwerre sons in positions of responsibility most of whom he said failed to appreciate him.
“On the 9th day of November, 2000, all the Government recognized Traditional Rulers in Ikwerre-led by the late Eze Epara Rebisi, Eze S. N. Woluchem and the entire people of Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality gathered at the ancient kingdom of Isiokpo and conferred on you the title of Ochi Aliri 1 of Ikwerre. You were then the Honourable Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. You remain the first man to be so honoured by our people. Ever since, we have studiously watched your conduct, activities, growth and achievements in politics as well as the Governor of Rivers State.
“From the year 1999 to date, Ikwerre has either through you or your instrumentality achieved great heights in our political history. From being the first Ikwerre man to be elected speaker, and consequently governor of the state, you influenced the appointment of an Ikwerre man as vice chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), deputy speaker, House of Representatives, federal electoral commissioner, Nigeria Ambassador to Ukraine, chief judge of Rivers State, president, Customary Court of Appeal and presently, minister of state for education, to mention but a few.
“In the area of governance, you have provided us with good roads, modern schools and functional health centres and hospitals just as you have extended these facilities to other ethnic groups in the state.
“As members of the traditional institution, we have equally heard and seen you face outright deceits, betrayals from very close quarters and associates that should have earned you praises. We have seen you face fire. We have seen you work upon thongs and we have seen you in a capsizing boat. In all of these, you remained solidly undaunted and robustly focused on your mission to Rivers State.
“To say the least, you have brought honour and pride to us and the entire people of Ikwerre ethnic nationality. Let us assure you that all the government recognized traditional rulers and our people are solidly behind you”.
The Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency (RSIPA) has unveiled measures to enthrone ease of doing business and win back the confidence of the business community.
The Director-General of the Agency, Dr Chamberlain Peterside, unveiled the plans at the Breakout Session of RSIPA at the ongoing 18th Port Harcourt International Trade Fair, at the Obi Wali International Cultural Centre, in Port Harcourt.
Dr. Peterside said the agency was poised to free the state from accumulation of wrong narratives that branded it over the years as unsafe for business.
He, however, admitted that many things had gone wrong in the past where regulators joined to make the business environment difficult for investors.
He announced that the agency was rather focused on actions, solutions, and results as adopted in the mission statement of the Board.
“Our task is no mean feat. We are dealing with the perception risk that over several years branded the state as unsafe. We are also faced with the challenges of dealing with the lack of cohesion amongst MDAs, policy inconsistencies, multiple taxation, incessant harassment by miscreants, red tape and delays in obtaining operating permits, high cost of operations and opaque public sector,” he said.
“It is about listening to the investors in the field and ensuring that MDAs are carried along, hence the imperative for the setting up of our One-Stop-Center”, he added.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, who represented the state governor, said the Fubara administration was ready to listen to the business community to see ways of reducing impediments to investments.
He listed the stages of actions being undertaken by the governor as outlined in his 37-page blue print to revive the economy of Rivers State.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, who was presented at the event as a star investor and promoter of Rivers State reputation, said for the plans of the investment promotion agency to materialize, an enabling law should replace the Executive Order that established the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency.
He said this would insulate the agency from political instability and remove fear in the minds of investors about its sustainability.
According to him, protection precedes promotion and Local Direct Investment (LDIs) is what attracts and promotes Foreign Direct Investment (FDIs).
“It is the rat at home that reveals to the one in the bush that there is fish in the kitchen”, he added.
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?The Mayor of Housing who is also the CEO of the Alesa Highlands Sustainable Green Smart City said that Port Harcourt is like a business empire under lock and key because it is not protecting its own and also not promoting its own enough for investors to come in.
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?In the area of land documentation and inventory, China urged Rivers State Government to borrow a leaf from Abuja and adopt the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in dealing with land and property registration and documentation for ease of doing business.
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?He said Lagos understood the power of business information, adding “this creates the impression that if you are not doing it in Lagos, you are not doing it in Africa.
“We need to shout louder than Lagos, because we need more investments than Lagos and the structural integrity of Abuja. When you marry both, Rivers State would be wonderful and become green with investments,” he said.
In her speech, the President of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), Dr. Chinyere Nwoga, called on the state government to look into the menace of parked trucks now turning Trans-Amadi into a risk zone.
She outlined the activities of the PHCCIMA and invited investors and businesses to the Port Harcourt economic hub, saying peace has returned.
The Director, Investors Relations of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), Mrs Lovina Kayode, urged Rivers State to make haste and catch up on Ease of Doing Business, saying the Council has come to help businesses in the state.
Mrs Kayode, who represented the Executive Secretary/CEO of NIPC, Aisha Rimi, commended the Mayor of Housing and his counterpart, Mr. Oliver Biedima of Rainbow Heritage Group, for their decision to invest in Rivers State, saying it is a proof that Rivers State is safe for investors and their investments.
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In his remarks, Oliver Biedemi of Rainbow Heritage Group urged government to give the private investors chance to develop the economy, saying ordinarily government does not have the funds to develop the economy.
Happy Birthday Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike CON
Honourable Minister Federal Capital Territory
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We’ll Drive Tinubu’s Vision in Rivers With Vigour – Fubara …Inaugurates Dualized Ahoada/Omoku Road ….Debunks Rift With RSHA
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has stated that he will lead Rivers people to galvanize support for President Bola Tinubu to drive the vision and objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the State with vigour.
The governor, who joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, explained that his decision to join the APC was not for personal interest but for the overall benefit of Rivers State.
Fubara disclosed these while inaugurating the extension of the dualized Ahoada/ Omoku Express road in Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
He commended the contracting firm, Julius Berger, for timely delivery of the project, saying the project is a campaign promise fulfilled which will bring economic benefits to the people and tackle issues of insecurity associated with the route.
He said his administration has remained focused in delivering democratic dividends in the state despite facing glaring challenges.
The governor thanked the people of Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas for their continuous support, and urged his supporters to remain steadfast and also support President Tinubu who he said, has demonstrated love to Rivers State as a father.
Fubara denied having rift with the Rivers State House of Assembly, stating that his meeting with the lawmakers was stalled as a result of delay in the agreed meeting to be convened by former Governor Nyesom Wike and other stakeholders for him to meet with the state lawmakers.
“I have made every effort to meet with the Assembly members, but it is not within my leadership to initiate the meeting process.
“The arrangement was for my leader, Wike, and the elders led by Anabraba to call for a meeting with the the lawmakers.
“I’m a gentleman and principled. I can’t go behind to call them when we’ve already agreed. Whoever that tell them that I don’t want to meet with them, or I rejected proposal meant for them isn’t saying the truth,” Fubara said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry Works, Mr Austin Ezekiel-Hart, who gave the project description, said the delivery of the project was a fulfillment of long time dream by the people of Ahoada East and Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Areas.
He said the road was previously a single lane and has now been dualised to 14.6 meters wide, complete with solar-powered streetlights with drainages.
He said the road significantly would reduce travel time between Ahoada and Omoku while improving economic activity in the region.
In his welcome address, Chairman of Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area, Hon. Chuku Shedrack Ogbogu, described the road as a symbol of unity, oneness, and development, thanking the governor for fulfilling his campaign promises.
On his part, the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Engr. Peer Lusbash, said the project was awarded to his company in 2023 with a completion period of 18 months which was achieved in best quality.
He added that Julius Berger enjoyed a good support from the Fubara administration, and assured to complete all ongoing projects being handled by Julius Berger on specification, especially the Ring Road project which is a legacy project.
