Business

Hotelier Charges RSG On Tourism Dev

Published

9 years ago

September 6, 2017

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Organic Hospitality and Logistics Services limited, Suru-lere, Lagos, managers of Opubo Hotels Limited, Opobo Town, in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State, Mr. Francis Omirenyi, has called on the State Governor, Chief NyesomWike and the 23 Local Government Chairmen in the State, among other stakeholders to as a matter of urgent importance, see the development of tourism as a catalyst for generating revenues.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with i on the spate of development, among other demanding necessities in Opobo Town at the weekend maintained that tourism, when put into effective state, would create employment opportunity for the youths.
According to him, “… tourism no doubt will create employment opportunity but the youths need to be trained on vocational career to enable them be relevant in tourism business”.
Omirenyi said that tourism is a large business which could be considered as a fulcrum for genuine and positive development of any society and ought to be harnessed and sustained.
He said that Rivers State as the Treasure Base of the Nation is blessed with natural potential endownments such as the environment and cultural heritage which should be re-invigorated, sustained and put into effective use for results oriented.
He added that the state has made name in world history. Her ancient heroes were relevant in world history. These factors mentioned are more or less the ‘ode stone’ that can attract tourist business.
He further disclosed that the 23 local government areas of the state should capitalise on the advantage of encouraging tourism potentials, even those yet untapped advising that the cultural potentials, of the people of the state should be marketed nationally and globally in order to enhance attraction.
“The local government areas should capitalise on the advantage of encouraging and harnessing of tourism. The boat regatta competitions in some of the areas should be galvanized also to improve tourism development”, he said.
Mr. Omirenyi also stated that the state government and other relevant authorities should partner with professionals in the field of tourism to draw up plans that would in turn facilitate the business of tourism.
According to him, federal government should support all tourism environments in Nigeria with adequate promotion.
The hotelier whose firm is rated as a world-class hospitality and logistics business entity, to promote general hospitality support services, hospitality management stressed that Rivers State as a home of peace and hospitality should harness and sustain its tourism potentials especially those yet untapped such as silica, phosphate and aquatic lives at Bonny, Degema, Opobo/Nkoro, Ogu/Bolo and others.
He said that a peaceful political tendency will be favourable to any business just like the hospitality business, adding that the hotels will benefit from potential activities, such as, conventions, political rallies, meetings, accommodations, etc.
On transportation and communication, the seasoned hotelier stated that transportation is the major factors involving the business development and economic growth of any society stressing that other than water transportation, there should be road transportation to enhance accessibility.
Omirenyi also said that, it is very clear that the demand for hotel business is on the increase but added that hotel business can only be lucrative when it is operated in a professional manner.

Bethel Sam Toby

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

3 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.