Connect with us

Business

PHCCIMA, Pharmacists Endorse #OurStateOurResponsibility Campaign

Published

6 years ago

on

The Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Rivers State chapter, have endorsed #Our StateOurResponsibility campaign.
The two organisations made the endorsements during separate advocacy visits by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim to their offices in Port Harcourt, recently.
The PHCCIMA President, Chief Nabil Saleh, said the advocacy campaign by the ministry was in line with the on-going effort by PHCCIMA to attract investments to the state.
Chief Saleh who is the Managing Director of Indorama, said Rivers State is one of the safest places to do business in the world, adding that the chamber was delighted that the Ministry of Information and Communications has taken up the effort to correct the negative perception about the state.
The expatriate said that he has lived in Rivers State for 20 years, stressing that if the state were not safe, personalities like him would not be here.
According to him, the Organised Private Sector (OPS) is not only delighted with the achievements of the state government but is willing to support every effort to market the state to the outside world.
Also speaking, the first Vice President of the chamber, Chief Mike Elechi, said the chamber was in support of the campaign to change the negative perception about the state.
Similarly, the Rivers State chapter of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has endorsed the advocacy campaign.
State Chairman of the society, Chima A. Ogbu, described the advocacy campaign as apt and timely, adding that several activities of the society were channeled towards changing the negative narrative about the state.
Ogbu said the PSN was happy that government is taking a bold step in the same direction.
Earlier, Pastor Nsirim had during the visit, stressed the need for the Organised Private Sector to see itself as brand ambassadors of the state.
Nsirim said that those living and doing business in Rivers State must join the campaign to change the narrative about the state.
He said Rivers State is blessed to have a governor who has invested so much in the infrastructural development of the state, but regretted the activities of the vocal minority who have continued to paint the state black.
“Our state our responsibility is designed to galvanise all groups in the state to understand that the prosperity of Rivers State is the prosperity of all.
“I can say with pride that this is an hospitable State. We have a welcoming culture.
“Our culture is second to none. Our cuisine is second to none” Nsirim said.
He urged Rivers people to resist the activities of the vocal minorities whose stock in trade was to paint the state black.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Business

Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

Published

22 hours ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

Continue Reading

Business

NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

Published

22 hours ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
Continue Reading

Business

FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

Published

22 hours ago

on

September 22, 2025

By

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
Continue Reading

Trending