RSG Wants Investors To Revive Govt’s Firms

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Barrister Emma Okah, has dismissed claims by the opposition that the Chief Nyesom Wike led government allowed state owned investments to fold.
Speaking in an interview programme organised by Silverbird Communications at the weekend, Barrister Okah said the policy of the Wike administration was to divest from business, and to allow private operators take over these companies.
The companies include the Songhai Farm, Buguma Fish Farm, and other moribund State owned investments.
Okah said, “It’s the policy of this administration not to go into business. We believe government is not a good businessman … So, we want to encourage private investors who have the capacity to come in and take over these investments”.
He disclosed that talks were in advanced stage to revive the State Rubber Company by Siat Nigeria, which according to him has demonstrated capacity through its takeover and management of RISONPALM Company.
On why the Songhai Farm and Fish Farm had gone comatose, the state Commissioner stated that government could no longer bear the huge cost of maintaining Songhai Farm.
He maintained that most of the running cost of sustaining the farms were borne by the government, and that beyond the size and operations, the maintenance was becoming the burden to government.
Okah welcomed any investor who would partner with government in acquiring the agro-facility located at Tai and Buguma.
However, he disclosed plans by the Wike administration to revive the Waste-to-Wealth facility at Tai Local Government Area.
The Waste-to-Wealth facility, which harbours the Scrap Metal Yard according to Okah, would help in the quest to improve and manage the environment, while noting that the Commissioner for Environment has commenced plans to revive the plant.