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Tour Operator Wants RSG To Develop Tourism

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L-R: Capt. Abdullarahim, Government of Dubai Immigration, Mrs Stella Obinwa, Regional Director, Africa, Dubai Tourism Board, Mr Talal Al Suwaidi, Manager, Dubai Tourism Board, Mr Hamad Al Shirawi, Assistant Manager, Dubai Tourism Board, after the Dubai Tourism Workshop at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, on Friday

L-R: Capt. Abdullarahim, Government of Dubai Immigration, Mrs Stella Obinwa, Regional Director, Africa, Dubai Tourism Board, Mr Talal Al Suwaidi, Manager, Dubai Tourism Board, Mr Hamad Al Shirawi, Assistant Manager, Dubai Tourism Board, after the Dubai Tourism Workshop at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, on Friday

The National Association
of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA), has called on the present administration in Rivers State to develop some tourism sites in the state to boost the economy of the state.
The National Chairman of NANTA, Steven Isokriari, who stated this shortly after the Dubai Tourism Workshop in Port Harcourt commended the Regional Director of Dubai Tourism Board, Mrs Stell Fubara Obinwa, who is from the state for bringing Dubai Tourism to Rivers  and other states in the country.
Isokriari also commended Dubai Tourism Board for taking some travel agencies in the country on a trip to Dubai last month, stating that the tour has created more awareness to Nigerian tourists and has inspired agents to redouble their efforts.
According to him,’’ We are happy because Tourism arrow head is from Rivers State. She has added Rivers State to Dubai Tourism. It is now left for us, the travel agencies who were at the forum to sell Dubai’’.
“It is not by selling Dubai to traders, but sell Dubai to those who really want to get out of the hustling and bustling nature of Nigeria. Sell Dubai to those who want to rest, having worked hard for some time in their various offices. Dubai has everything it takes for holidays’’, he said.
The tour operator however said Dubai is supposed to be desert but the government of that country has been able to develop it today and makes it attractive to investors and others round the world.
“Today Dubai has one of the biggest aquariums standing on the ground. Dubai is where you have a hot desert, and you have escaping hall, coming out with ice on the ground. The people have spent their money wisely and I want to believe that if River State is able to emulate such, so that the state can attract foreigners who will come and spend their money and all the businesses, the  state will grow.
“Before now, Port Harcourt was a place where Lagosians come to spend weekends but today, such attractions are no more because of insecurity’’,  he noted.
He urged the present governments from the top to the states to forget party politics and change Nigeria to a better place.
“We came to Presidential Hotel to enjoy Dubai Tourism, when do we go outside Nigeria and sell Nigerian tourism. Our tourist sites are better than what other countries have, but we have successfully failed to develop and harness them’’, he noted.
He regretted that the nation has problems of shrink balance, our monies are going out, our dollars going out, none seem to be coming in.
The NANTA boss condemned merging tourism ministry with ministry of information, stating that tourism should be alone because of its potentials in generating revenue and developing the country.
Isokriari disclosed that tourism alone can employ millions of Nigerians if properly harnessed, stressing that his association alone has over a million in its employments.
According to him, “we have a thousand six hundred agencies under us NANTA, and each must employ people.

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Association Woos Govt, Coys On  Boat Operators  Employments

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June 12, 2026

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The leadership of Bonny Maritime Boat Association has called on Rivers state Government and oil companies operating in the state to provide sustainable employment to unemployed boat Operators.
The Association also want the government, companies and other relevant employers of labour to provide trainings for boat Operators to enhance their skills
Safety Officer of the Association, Comrade Kingdom Kingsley made this known in  a  telephone interview with  The Tide.
He noted that most of the boat Operators and owners plying Bonny route lacks jobs due to the fleets of boats introduced by Bonny Road Transport that had taken over the passengers to the Island
He noted that passengers are no longer patronizing boats owned by the Association, thereby rendering the operators redundant
“Most of our operators can not afford to feed their families due to no jobs, we don’t want to indulge in crime, government should fix our members with  sustainable jobs to take care of their immediate needs”
He called on oil companies operating in the state to engage their skilled boat Operators in their companies to reduce the sufferings faced by the Association.
The Safety Officer called on the state government  to made funds available to unemployed youths in the state to start up business than roam the streets.
He noted that provision of funds to youths would reduce crime rates and reposition their mindsets for a better life
“The  youths of Rivers state are suffering, have no job to feed their families, thereby indulging in criminality daily”
“The youths need empowerment,  jobs,  recreational facilities and better things of life as citizens of this Nation”, Kingsley said.
CHINEDU WOSU
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FG Approves $1 Bn AFCFTA Credit Facility For Nigerian Exporters

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June 12, 2026

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The Federal Government has approved a whooping $1bn credit facility to support Nigerian exporters and small scale businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost production, competitiveness and intra-African trade.
The $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility is also expected to address some of the financing gap being faced by Nigerian exporters and enhance the competitiveness of African businesses within the continental market.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this  during the second quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee held in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Obilor-Duru Okechi, Oduwole said the financing facility represented a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses seeking to expand operations, modernise production processes and increase exports to African markets.
The statement partly read, “?The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s export-led growth agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area, unveiling opportunities for businesses to access a US$1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility aimed at boosting production, competitiveness, and intra-African trade.”
She noted that despite the progress Nigeria had made in implementing the continental trade agreement, many local businesses continued to face obstacles that limited their ability to take advantage of the single African market.
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“Many businesses still face challenges relating to export documentation, certification, standards compliance and market access,” the minister said.
She explained that the Federal Government was addressing these bottlenecks through enhanced trade facilitation measures, simplified AfCFTA guidance tools, stakeholder engagement programmes and stronger collaboration with institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Oduwole stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework by domesticating key AfCFTA protocols, particularly the Digital Trade Protocol, to position the country as a major player in Africa’s growing digital economy.
The minister also highlighted some of the gains recorded in Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation efforts.
According to her, the expansion of Nigeria’s Air Cargo Corridor Initiative to Rwanda, increased collaboration with development partners and private sector players, as well as sustained engagement with state governments, were helping to deepen awareness and participation in the continental market.
In her welcome address and first-quarter update, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, provided details of the financing initiative.
Okala said the $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility was targeted at large African businesses with a minimum financing capacity of $10m.
She revealed that the National AfCFTA Coordination Office was working closely with fund managers to facilitate access for eligible Nigerian companies and had begun assembling a pilot group of businesses to ensure that Nigeria maximised the opportunities provided by the facility.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NIWA Harps On  Avoidance Of Leaking Boats

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June 12, 2026

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The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians against boarding boats that require constant bailing of water in the interest of their safety.
 NIWA Area Manager for Cross River and Ebonyi, Mr Stanley Onuoha gave this warning in an interview with Newsmen in Calabar.
Onuoha who spoke on waterway
safety, said that passengers should take responsibility for their safety by inspecting boats before embarking on any journey.
According to him, repeated scooping of water from a boat is a clear indication that the vessel may be leaking.
“If you are entering a boat and see people using a bailer to remove water, it is the first signal that the boat is leaking,” he said.
He urged passengers to check the integrity of boats, including seating arrangements and other visible safety features.
The Manager restated the importance of using safety jackets, saying that damaged jackets may fail during emergencies.
He further said that passengers should ensure that safety jackets were appropriate for their body sizes in order to guarantee effective flotation.
 Onuoha reiterated the need for passengers to fill manifests before departure to aid accountability during emergencies.
The NIWA official further advised travellers to monitor weather conditions and avoid boarding boats when the weather is unfavourable.
According to him, poor weather conditions can trigger strong tidal waves capable of affecting small boats commonly used on inland waterways.
He said that waterway journeys should be embarked upon between 6.00a.m and 6.00p.m for clearer visibility.
Onuoha said  the Authority had continued to sensitise riverine communities to the need for safety precautions during waterway journeys.
He stated that sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement measures had contributed to safety waterway safety in Cross River.
CHINEDU WOSU
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