CARNIRIV To Mark PH Centenary

This year’s Rivers State Carnival (CARNIRIV), will be used
to celebrate the 100 years of the founding of Port Harcourt.

Chairman of Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA),
Chief Emeka Woke made the disclosure during a chat with newsmen after a meeting
with the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. George Feyii yesterday in Port
Harcourt.

Chief Woke who called on the culture-loving people of Rivers
State to support the programme said the festival would be unique in many ways,
“we expect that this year’s CARNIRIV is going to be a special one. We are
working tirelessly to ensure that we come out with a bang”.

The former Emohua Local Government Chairman stated that lots
of memorable programmes had been lined-up to commemorate the 100th year of the
founding of Port Harcourt City in 1912.

Some of the highlights include special gospel night with
performance by some gospel artistes from South Africa and other foreign
artistes that will thrill the crowd alongside their local counterparts from
Nigeria.

Commenting on plans by the agency to rehabilitate some
selected tourist sites in parts of the state, Chief Woke said a tour of the
sites had already been done, but assured that work would begin next year on
those selected.

He explained that delay on the project is as a result of
funding since according to him, most of what supposed to have been done had
already been budgeted for the year.

Chief Woke said, “all these things are issues of budget. The
agency is new and only inaugurated by March this year, and as at that time, the
budget of 2012 had already been passed. We believe that once 2013 budget is
passed, funds will be available for these projects.”

Commenting on the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Zoo,
the RSTDA boss disclosed that the State Ministry of Tourism and Culture had
also taken inventory of the tourist facility and would commence renovation
works next year.