Rivers Govt Holds Economic, Investment Summit Tuesday to Mark First Anniversary

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

As part of activities to mark the one year anniversary of the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers government said it will hold a two-day Economic and Investments Summit.

According to the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the one year anniversary, Joseph Johnson, said the programme will pave way for investment opportunities of the oil rich State for a greater economic and industrial growth.

The summit which will hold from May 22-23 will focus on seven thematic areas and geared towards the overall goal of opening the state economy to local and foreign investments.

The seven thematic areas include: “Inclusive Education and Technology; Manufacturing and Industrialization and Ease of doing business, Infrastructural Development and Renewable Energy; Blue Economy; Creative Economy and today’s investment opportunities in creative status and Economic Growth and Development”.

Johnson who is the state commissioner for Information and Communication, revealed that the economic summit will bring together experts from various sectors, economic drivers, innovators to discuss and deliberate on key issues affecting economic growth and development in the state.

He said several experts would be dissecting the various thematic areas and respond to various questions that would arise from the two-day event.

The Commissioner further affirmed the one year achievements of Governor Fubara, has indeed, superceded that of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

He explained, “For eight years civil servants were not promoted, schools, health sectors were abandoned but Governor Fubara came and ensured promotion of civil servants, the health sector is now functioning well, the schools are getting face lifts. He is focused on projects that will impact meaningfully on our people”

“So, if you quantify what Fubara has done, the ring road which is equivalent to six flyovers, trans kalabari road is about eight flyovers, so in all, we have 14 flyovers to boost small and medium scale enterprises, you can see that all these achievements has superceded 10 flyovers done in eight years by the past administration “

Explaining further the benefits of the summit, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, a former Commissioner for Information and Communications and member of the publicity committee of the summit stated; “Every time you talk about Investment and Economic Summit, you are actually announcing that you are open for business. And that really is the point of this summit”.

She stressed; “People are coming into Rivers State to have a conversation that says Rivers State is open for business. So, when you talk about the short term gain, the visibility that comes from having an investment summit that already by itself is a gain because your comfort level can go up”.

Semenitari said the summit will showcase bounty business opportunities in the State and create ample time to network with various stakeholders.