‘Rivers Safest State For Investors’

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, says his administration is poised to make the state an investors’ haven, as he called on the international community to disregard the propaganda to paint the state as unsafe.
Speaking at the opening of the South African e-visa application office in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Wike said the government would improve security as a way of providing conducive environment for businesses to thrive.
“We will do everything we can to return Port Harcourt to its past glory and we will want everybody to support the government”, Wike said.
Commending the South African High Commission for selecting Port Harcourt as one of its visa centres in the country, Wike pledged government’s support to ease operations of the centre.
He observed that the centre apart from boosting diplomatic relations will also provide employment for the citizenry, and enjoined other diplomatic missions to follow after the South African example.
The governor, however, called on the South African High Commission to go beyond the visa office by commencing direct flight operations between Port Harcourt and Johannesburg.
In his remarks, South African High Commissioner for Nigeria, Lulu Louis Mngani stated that the visa office was established to boost operations between Nigeria and South Africa.
Mngani noted that, “since 1994 when the first elected South African president came to power relations between Nigeria and South Africa has grown.”
The South African High Commissioner said the choice of Port Harcourt was made because of its status as an economic hub in the country, while expressing hope that the centre will reach to the local people to boost trade and technical partnership between both countries.
In the same vein, South African Consular General Mugesi Monaisa submitted that the visa centre is among the three established in the country to reduce the plight of visitors and tourists obtaining visas to the country.
Apart from providing visas Monaisa disclosed that the centre will provide immigration advice and window for those ready to do business in South Africa.
Country Director of Nigeria and Cameroon Mr. Deepak Iyer said the centre will  bring business opportunity in South Africa to the South-South.
“We are committed to the continued development and partnership between South Africa and Nigeria throughout the eight states in South of Nigeria”, he added.
Similarly, consultant to the project, Mr. Alalibo Oruambo, stated that Rivers State is strategic hence the siting of the centre, and expressed hope that other embassies will follow suit.
Meanwhile, incoming Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. M. Lale has urged the South African authorities check the rising xenophobic attacks Africans in their country.
Lale while speaking at the opening of the new South African e-visa office in Port Harcourt underscored the need to improve ties between Nigeria and South Africa.