News
Rivers Tourism Agency, Mayor of Housing Seal Deal After Economic Summit
…..Set to Restore Rivers Leadership Status In Tourism, Entertainment
The Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA) has sealed partnership deal with the Mayor of Housing to boost tourism and entertainment.
This is aimed at rebooting the economy of the state as the state government seeks to boost ease of doing business (EoDB).
The partnership was sealed after the Rivers State Economic and Investment Summit which ended on May 23, 2024.
The partnership was unveiled at an event at the GRA where the Director-General (DG) of the RSTDA, Mr Yibo Koko, gave details of what he called the low hanging fruits initiative to tap into obvious advantages.
He presented the Mayor of Housing, My-Ace China, the CEO of the Housing and Construction Limited, who has demonstrated capacity and willingness to join in the task.
It was gathered that some banks have also indicated interest in partnering with the Agency to achieve the objective of Sir Sim Fubara’s administration in the Tourism sub-sector.
It was gathered that tourism alone can restart the economy, based on what worked for the state in years past when the city led other states and cities in entertainment and tourism.
The new role of the RSTDA seemed to have been rediscovered at the economic summit and fresh mandates with marching orders may have been issued.
The DG of the Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA) spoke glowingly about the gains of the Rivers State Economic Summit and the Creative Art, saying the Mayor of Housing was part of the panel on creative economy and his participation led to the decision to go back and start from the ‘Low Hanging Fruits Initiative’.
He said Gov Fubara’s body language suggests positivity and this has led to trickling effects on creative economy and the young people.
He gave insight into how reputations are ruined online, saying Algorithm or Artificial Intelligence (AI) picks what comes online most frequently and uses it to characterize a person or place for profiling.
“So, when people click on your name, what comes up is the thing AI says you are. For Rivers State, it’s the steady bad news in the media that AI picks to brand the state.
“The RSTDA wants to reverse that and we want the many good things happening in the state to be brought up deliberately.
“The state government wants entrepreneurs and investors to be the ones driving wealth creation and the growth of the economy. We want to bring back the vibrancy of the Garden City and we know the role tourism and entertainment can play.”
He took time to articulate what constitutes the low hanging fruits and how the RSTDA planned to harvest them with support from partners, especially the Mayor of Housing.
Speaking, the Mayor of Housing (My-ACE China) expressed delight working with the RSTDA.
He said: “I started estate business in Abuja. In 2021, we wanted to extend to Port Harcourt, but the first thing the CEO of our company then told me was all about insecurity in the Garden City and all the associated hypes.
“He asked me how I would need over five Mopol (Military Police Operatives) to move about in Port Harcourt. The narrative then was that Port Harcourt was unstable and unsafe. We argued and agreed I would be the one to go, and if I was killed, he would stay away.
“Coming into Port Harcourt at last, I was shocked at the peace and stability, at the hospitality, at the liveliness, cuisine, housing potentials, etc.
“In housing, we were more than 100 brands in Abuja hustling for space, but I came into Port Harcourt and saw only two active brands. It was like I could beat them ad be the topmost.
“I called my people and said, this is a deep market. I staged the biggest event in Port Harcourt. It was shocking. People came out because of the shouting I did.
“This was the same Port Harcourt they said would swallow me.
|When I went into the nitty-gritty of doing business in Port Harcourt, I found why the narrative was looking gloomy.”
He said there was a political dilution of people’s goodwill and most persons in the state were victims, including top people doing so well.
“I discovered that there are very many unsung people here that felt they would not make it unless they went to Lagos.
“So, I chose the comedy industry to start the push to sell Port Harcourt with positive narrative and restart of the story of the city.I began to sponsor them with whatever little I had.
“I am the first corporate body to scale Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) because others start CSR when they make it, but I started from the start or even before the start of my project.
According to him, as at this year, we have won ‘brand of the year’ for three years running just by doing little by little.”
“So, part of the fundamental things why we are here today is to tell everybody that the awareness and deliberate narrative change can start now and here; and we can begin to talk about the positives of Rivers State, we can skew the algorithm back in our favour.
“If Lagos State has 15 million people and they have less people talking about their potential, that would reduce visibility to the work of about three million people. Rivers with six million people need to work harder. If 50 per cent or more of our people talk about the positives of this state, it will beat that pattern or algorithm.
So, the idea is, who else will tell them. The good book said how will they hear, if somebody doesn’t preach to them. We thus put this meeting together so you can all preach the message of the positives of Rivers State.
“When this competition as outlined by the DG (of the RSTDA) begins, it would launch Rivers State back as the tourism capital of the world. By the story told by the DG, if the tourism promoters of Dubai could come to Port Harcourt to promote a show and only seven persons showed up, the small number was not because there was scarcity of talent or lack of interest from the youths of Rivers State, it was because of lack of narrative-pushing to tell the youths that there was opportunity somewhere.
“When I started my project in Alesa Eleme, I was told don’t go, they do worry. But today, I have not even started the project proper and I have got an award from the same Alesa Elele youths as ‘Hero of Development’ all because of little corporate social responsibility (CSR) things I did for them.
“It broke my heart when they came to me and said they could secure our facility. They said all we needed to give them were equipment and gears not costing up to N5m. We did that donation in December 2023 but I was weak when they said for 20 years, no company had donated those things.
“It is about the narrative being peddled around the state and around the communities. The story is not being told. If you don’t load the search engine with good stories, you won’t move up on the scale of attractive cities and investments.
“Let’s get to the level of knowing what to tell and what not to”, he said .
News
RSG Cancels ?134BN Secretariat Contract, Orders Refund Of ?20BN Mobilisation … Revalidates Four Projects
The Rivers State Executive Council has revoked the ?134bn contract awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) for the renovation, retrofitting, and furnishing of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex by the State of Emergency Administration.
The council directed the immediate refund of the ?20bn mobilization fee already paid to the contractor.
Relatedly, the Council also approved the revalidation of the bidding processes for four contracts, consisting of the renovation of the State Secretariat Complex, construction of reinforced concrete shoreline protection and reclamation works in several riverine communities of Opobo/Nkoro, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas. The projects earlier advertised for which bid documents were cancelled by the Emergency Administration and fees returned to the companies that had earlier purchased them.
The decisions were reached during the State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, and presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Briefing newsmen, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart explained that the contracts had been awarded in a hasty manner without following due process. He said the council, therefore, approved the revalidation of the bidding process for all four contracts that were earlier advertised in national dailies on February 19, 2025.
With the revalidation process now on, Dr. Ezekiel-Hart stated that a fresh bidding will be advertised in newspapers for competent and experienced contractors to prequalify and submit both technical and commercial bids.
He listed the projects to include, “The construction of 4.8km reinforced concrete shoreline protection and reclamation of Queenstown, Epellema, Oloma, and Minima communities in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area in Rivers State. The construction of 2.5km shoreline protection and reclamation in Ndoni-Onukwu, Isikwu, and Aziazagi communities in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area.
“The construction of 2.5km shoreline protection and reclamation in Utuechi, Obiofu, Isala, Ani-Eze, and Odugri communities in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area. The renovation, retrofitting and furnishing of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex,” he added.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, announced that the council approved the constitution of a committee to develop a proposal for the creation of Computer-Based Test (CBT) Centres and ICT Laboratories across the three senatorial districts of the state.
She explained that the initiative is in line with the Federal Government’s directive that beginning in 2026, all examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will be computer-based.
The committee, chaired by the Deputy Governor, has the Secretary to the State Government, Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Education, Works, Information and Communications and Commissioner for Energy as members. Dr. Uzoma-Nwogu said the move will prepare Rivers youths for a digital future and improve the quality of education across the state.
On issues of employment, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Chisom Gbali, said the council reviewed ongoing efforts to create jobs for Rivers youths. He disclosed that his ministry has been directed to develop a framework for job creation and economic empowerment, noting that the government is determined to open up more opportunities for the young population.
“We want to assure Rivers youths that there will be a rising tide of employment and steady waves of economic empowerment,” Dr. Gbali said. “We know our Governor, when he makes a promise, he ensures it is fulfilled.”
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honour Sirawoo, said council also deliberated extensively on the recent flash floods experienced in some parts of the state. He said the council directed immediate remedial intervention to address the situation, and cautioned residents against the indiscriminate disposal of waste into drainage channels and building on waterways, which worsens flooding.
Dr. Sirawoo further noted that Governor Fubara remains deeply committed to the development of Rivers State and determined to accelerate the pace of governance despite time lost. He added that the administration’s renewed focus and energy will soon place Rivers State firmly back on the path of sustainable growth and progress.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the completion of the 62.650km Port Harcourt Ring Road project, despite the setbacks that have slowed its progress.
The Governor gave the assurance during an on-site inspection tour of the project on Monday, where he emphasised that the state government remains resolute in its determination to deliver the massive infrastructure for public use.
Addressing journalists at the Eneka Flyover axis of the project, Governor Fubara stated that his visit was to verify the level of compliance and commitment shown by the construction firm, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.
Governor Fubara noted that discussions with the contractor had been ongoing to ensure that work resumes at full capacity after a period of financial challenges that affected the project’s continuity.
“You are aware that this project was, I won’t say abandoned, but somehow, for lack of funds, the contractor withdrew from the site. We have been discussing with them, and they gave me their word that although we have not finished all the discussions, they have already moved back to site, and I’m here to confirm that.”
The Governor described the Port Harcourt Ring Road project, which traverses six local government areas, as one of the most significant infrastructure undertakings in the state’s history, noting that its completion would not only ease traffic congestion in the capital city but also stimulate economic activities across multiple local government areas.
Governor Fubara reiterated his administration’s resolve to continue prioritising infrastructure development as a foundation for economic growth and social progress.
“I want to make this promise to our good people of Rivers State,” the Governor declared. “This project that we started, by the special grace of God, we are going to complete it. We owe our people a responsibility to deliver on our commitments, and this project will not be an exception,” he added.
The Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the 2025 Batch B, Stream II National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed to the State, to use the NYSC skill acquisition training programme to build capacity.
Governor Fubara gave the charge on Tuesday when he declared closed, the 2025 Batch B Stream II orientation exercise in the State.
Represented by the newly sworn-in Secretary to the State Government and Chairman NYSC State Governing Board, Hon. Benibo Anabraba, Governor Fubara enjoined the Corps members to embrace skill acquisition wholeheartedly in order to elevate themselves as wealth creators and employers of labour.
“Take Rivers State as your home. Be assured of the warmth, hospitality, and accommodating disposition of the good of our people at all times.
“Take the skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development post camp training very seriously and equip yourselves with the capacity to compete favourably in the nation’s huge economic space,” he stressed.
The Governor called on the Corps members to see their mobilization into the NYSC Scheme as a fundamental way to provide humanitarian services.
“Remember that you owe it to yourself, family, and the nation, the responsibility to serve selflessly and honourably,” he admonished.
In his farewell address, the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Moses Oleghe appealed to the Corps members to use the opportunity of the service year to discover their true purpose.
He further encouraged them to embody selfless service and empathy in serving the people.
The colourful ceremony witnessed a vibrant parade.
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