The Tide To Support NGOs, Others Driving Creative Innovations

The management of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC), publishers of The Tide Newspaper has said it would support non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other development agencies driving creative innovations of young people with a view to boosting wealth that would impact positively on the development of the state and the nation.
The General Manager of RSNC, Chief Ernest Chinwo, gave this assurance when he received in audience a group of NGOs led by Convener, StartupSouth, Mr Uche Aniche, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
The General Manager who was represented by the Acting Chairman, Editorial Board/Supervising Editor of The Tide, Nelson Chukwudi, said that the newspaper was aware of its social responsibility to the development of the state, and was working tirelessly to create editorial content to inspire innovative ideas that should drive entrepreneurship and business development opportunities.
He said that it was for this reason that the management created two pages to promote activities of small and medium scale entrepreneurs (SMEs), innovators as well as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and techprenuers in the state.
Chinwo said that SME/Innovations and ICT pages published every Wednesday provide the needed platform for those in the SMEs and ICTs and tech businesses to reach out to the world through the medium.
According to him, Port Harcourt is one of the largest and fastest growing economic hubs in the country outside Lagos, adding that The Tide Newspaper has remained the only surviving state-owned print media publishing regularly in hard copy and also online.
“It is good you guys are here in Port Harcourt. Outside Lagos, Port Harcourt is the largest and fastest growing business hub in the country, especially in the areas of oil and gas, and ICTs. The newspaper understands the importance of creativity and innovations. This is why we have dedicated two pages to give our young startups and innovators opportunity to showcase their businesses and innovations”, he said.
On the request for media partnership by the group, he assured them of the readiness of the newspaper to synergise with forward-looking business people and agencies to complement government’s efforts to attract investors with a view to upscaling economic development of the state.
“We will be interested in partnering with your organisation so long such collaboration will help move the state to a higher level in terms of economic development. The state government has improved on infrastructure development, and this has enhanced the ease of doing business in the state. We will synergise with your organisation and accommodate your views”, he stated.
Earlier in their various speeches, the Convener, StartupSouth, Mr Uche Aniche, and Executive Director, AfriLabs, Anna Ekeledo, had said that they were in the office basically to seek for partnership with The Tide as the foremost newspaper outfit in the state, especially in the area of publicity of their activities in the 11 states in the South-South and South-East.
They commended the management of the newspaper for the quality news content that has endeared vast readership to The Tide,adding that they were ready now more than ever before to work with the media to communicate the positive developments in the state to the outside world.
According to them,there organisation would harness the professional tech and innovation community to solve social problems and challenges,adding that they would also promote creativity and innovations among young Rivers people by turning them as wealth creators.
“Here in Rivers State, StartupSouth is doing well but unfortunately,the media is not aware of what we are doing.That is the essence of our visit. We cover South-South and South-East,” Aniche said.
“AfriLabs operates in 52 African countries. We are working together to support young innovators in the state. Through our partners, we plan to build a network of business leaders and entrepreneurs to help push the envelope in economic transformation of the state”, Ekeledo added.

By: Akujobi Amadi