RSG Moves To Push PH Airport Rehab …EU Tasks FG On Ports

RSG Moves To Push PH Airport Rehab …EU Tasks FG On Ports

Moved by the plight of air travellers in the state, the Rivers State Government, has begun talks with the Federal Government on rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
Secretary to the State Government, Chief Kenneth Kobani, told newsmen in Port Harcourt, that the government is concerned over the delay in completion of the renovation works at the airport.
In his words: “our hands are tied and it’s not true that we are not concerned or that we don’t feel the pain of people using the airport, but the problem is that the airport is not directly under us.”
It would be recalled that the airport was among other airports undergoing renovation and expansion under the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, but was later abandoned in the heat of the political campaigns.
Consequently, Kobani has promised investors in the state of tax concessions.
The Secretary to the State Government said the plan is to make the state a tax haven for investors, as he warned local government councils of threatening and impounding properties of companies in the course of their revenue drive.
Kobani said, “we have made it absolutely clear that nobody in any local government should use force or threat, or try to impound properties belonging to companies, they have no authority, to do that they, have been warned.”
Meanwhile, the European Union has charged the Federal Government to expand the development of the ports in Rivers State as a way of attracting investors and revenue to the state.
European Union delegation to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Micah Aaron, while speaking at a forum organised by the Rivers State Investors Forum, said the failure of the Federal Government to develop the ports in Rivers States despite the congestion in Lagos has led many importers to Cotonou in Benin Republic.
He argued that the patronage of the Cotonou Port  has deprived Nigeria and Rivers State revenue from importation.
Aaron observed, “We have seen that Nigeria needs to improve its competitiveness and I will say there are many elements that improve the global competitiveness of a country…Having goo infrastructure is key and Rivers has a port but it seems the port has to be developed and we know Lagos is congested and Port Harcourt is the second port in Nigeria.”
The EU delegation while calling for the diversification of the Nigerian economy advocated for a shift towards agriculture, and raising tax paid by  rich in the country.