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De-Marketing Rivers, Counter Productive -Okah
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Barr. Emma Okah has described the continued presentation of Rivers State as an insecure and unsafe place by those who do not mean well for the state as an ill wind that blows nobody any good.
Barr. Okah made the observation while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour at the official presentation of a new tabloid, The Vortex Newspaper, published by a veteran journalist and a former Editor with The Tide Newspaper Dr. Alpheaus Paul-Worika.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim at the event which took place last Friday at the Ernest Ikoli Press Centre in Port Harcourt, Barr Okah said that the security challenges experienced in the State were such that were general to all states in the federation and asked those who were struggling to make the situation in the state look worse than it is to have a rethink.
According to the Commissioner, the danger of projecting the State as a place not suitable for residence and business activities is that everybody who lives and does business in the state loses at the end of the day due to the negative confessions and evil reports of those who think they stand to gain some advantage in the hope that they would run the present government down by such damaging publicity.
“Those who are engaged in de-marketing the state do not stand to benefit anything because whatever happens to Rivers State invariably affects them as well.
“If we all join hands together with the government to make Rivers State a secure, safe and prosperous place, everybody in the state will partake in the prosperity and the peace.
“In the same vein, if we run the state down and set it on fire by our activities, nobody will escape the adverse consequences, including those who have assigned to themselves this unwholesome and destructive undertaking”, he said.
Barr. Okah appealed to journalists in the state to do themselves and the state a world of good by objectively reporting happenings, in the state and within the general state of affairs in the country.
He congratulated the publisher of The Vortex Newspaper for his courage to embark on the venture and expressed the hope that the publisher’s experience and knowledge of the terrain would make the paper stand the test of time.
He described the publisher’s gesture of owning a newspaper house as one that would correct some of uses and abuses seen today in newspapers, adding that The Vortex Newspaper should be able to uniquely distinguish itself, from other newspapers as it would help in bringing back real professionalism in the newspaper industry in Rivers State.
The Commissioner charged journalists on changing the negative narrative by enemies of the state who are poised to undermine the noble gestures of the state government in combating crime and criminality in the state, adding that journalists should project the positive image of the state to the outside world.
According to him, “the administration of Governor Wike in the past three and half years had returned the image of the Garden City to its pride of place in terms of culture, infrastructure, education, health, human capital development and total reduction of crime in Rivers State, so ignore those who want to de-market the state for their own selfish interest and gain.”
Speaking also, the former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, George Thompson Sekibo, stated that his expectations were that The Vortex Newspaper becomes a national newspaper that would compete favourably with other national dailies and even The Tide Newspaper.
Sekibo commended the publisher of The Vortex Newspaper, Dr Paul Alpheaus Worika for his vision and advised that the newspaper should bring development, empowerment and restoration of values to the newspaper industry in the state and country at large.
In his paper presentation on the Topic: “Newspapers and Stakeholders’ Identity Crisis In Nigeria,” the guest speaker, and a veteran journalist, Amaopusenibo Bobo Sofiri Brown explained that current stakeholders in the society had shifted completely from productivity to entitlement culture, thereby endangering the newspaper industry
Opaka Dokubo/Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that peace has prevailed because he draws strength from God to resist insults and tantrums thrown at him while frustrating attempts by some disgruntled persons who wanted to plunge the State into unending crisis.
The Governor also said that because he has anchored his Government on promoting peace, the enabling atmosphere has been provided for investments and sustainable development to flourish.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he received a delegation of members of the Bishops and Gospel Ministers’ Association International Incorporated, Rivers State Chapter, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara said while most people took his meekness for weakness, his stance on peace has unarguably enhanced harmonious atmosphere of concord as residents sleep with their two eyes closed, and investors and shareholders are happy with the returns on investment.
He said, “Before, what they hear of Rivers State is that they are fighting, and some genuine investors will not come. Some people even ask you: How are you coping in Rivers State?
“But now”, he asserted: “The Governor has brought about a lot of changes in the State. One of the most important things is that he has changed the negative narrative. It is no longer Rivers of blood. It is now Rivers of peace.
“We are enjoying our lives here. Why? Because there is a change in the narrative. We have peace. The Governor is, as much as possible, absorbing any level of insult at him only for one purpose: that Rivers State may have peace; that we may grow; that this state will experience genuine development.”
Governor Fubara urged them, as members of the Christian family in the State, to continue to pray for the State and the Government so that the enemies of the State will be put to greater shame.
“This peace is what I want you to embrace. Go and continue to pray, because when the sower of the seed went and sowed, the enemy went in the night and sowed tares inside there. But the Governor is sowing peace.
“When I listened to the leader of the team, His Grace Eddy Ogbonda, he said you came all the way from Eleme Junction, and stopped at major junctions, and you uttered prayers for the peace of Rivers State.”
He also said: “I, hereby want to thank you for identifying with the Governor at a time like this. At a time when it looks as if someone wants the Governor’s peace posture misunderstood as weakness.
“When someone has the strength to fight back, but refuses to fight back. That is a bigger strength; that power of restrain does not just come, it can only come from God.
“You cannot give peace, if you do not have peace within you. The Governor is not interested in any form of trouble or violence. What he is interested in is known, and it is: let there be peace in Rivers State,” he said.
In his address, leader of the group, Archbishop Eddy Ogbonda, said they had observed a week-long intensive prayers that culminated into a peace rally, which brought them to Government House, and assured the Governor that God will continue to give him victory over his adversaries while preserving Rivers State.
“It is Rivers State Prophetic Prayer Convocation and Rally 2024 with the theme: ‘Peace be still’. Of a truth, everyone of us understands that we live in a time when we need peace much more than any other thing.
“Rivers State needs peace. Everyone as individuals need peace. The country needs peace, and the world at large needs peace. So, we are here to do a peace march. We pray that God will command His peace to reign in Rivers State,” he said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that hotels, schools, and other establishments that accept payments in dollars from their customers are at risk of facing arrest.
The Chairman of EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, said this in the agency’s publication called EFCC Alert on Monday, adding that action would be taken against individuals involved in the dollarisation of the economy.
According to him, the exception is if foreigners come in to transact business and the only means of transacting is their credit card and dollar but to charge local customers in dollars or other foreign currencies would no longer be allowed.
He said charging local activities and customers in dollars is against Nigeria’s constitution.
The EFCC chairman said, “Schools that charge Nigerians in dollar, supermarkets that trade in dollar, estate developers that sell their property in dollar, hotels that are invoicing in dollar, we are coming after you and we have made arrests in that area.
“Yes, if foreigners are coming in and the only means of transacting is their credit card, and dollar, why not? You will get that.
“But document it properly as against selling things within the system, local economy and you will be using dollar as the medium of exchange, it is illegal.
“Our law does not allow for that. And we have also affected some arrests.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has enjoined Muslim faithful to remain steadfast to the lessons learnt during the holy month of Ramadan.
Governor Fubara stated this in his message of felicitations to Muslims as they celebrate the 2024 Eid-el-Fitr Sallah, which marks the end of the one-month Ramadan fasting.
The Governor emphasised the importance for Muslims to also uphold the tenets of Islam by exhibiting the fear of God and showing piety in their daily work.
Governor Fubara said, “We must all continue in the good attributes imbibed during the holy month of Ramadan as directed by God through His Prophet, so as to ensure peace, unity and harmony in the society for a better future.”
While praying that the essence of the festival offers them happiness, peace and prosperity in all aspects of life, Governor Fubara said he recognises and appreciates the critical role that the Muslim community continues to play in the development of Rivers State, and indeed, Nigeria at large.
Governor Fubara charged them to remain unwavering and steadfast in their commitment and positive contributions to advance the development of the State and the country.
“I enjoin you all in the State to remain calm, be patient and continue to do what is right,” the Governor added.
He wished the Muslim faithful in the State and across the country a happy Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
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