An advocacy group for peace, social justice and good governance, Unity House Foundation, UHF, is calling for an economic summit in Rivers State to chat a development course for the oil rich state.
Convener of the group, Barr. Kingsley Wenenda Wali, made the call during a media parley in Port Harcourt yesterday.
Wali stressed the need for stakeholders, all well meaning sons and residents of the state including the media to rise up to support in organizing an impactful and development driven economic summit that will change the narrative of politicizing everything about Rivers State.
He said if the narrative in Rivers State is not changed from politics which is at the moment is all about the crisis between the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to sustainable economic activities, the state would be in trouble.
He regretted that the unending political crisis between Governor Fubara and Mr. Wike as well as the State House of Assembly, in both local and foreign media is scaring investors away from the state, adding that no serious potential investors would want to keep doing or come to do business in the state under current atmosphere.
He said, “We are in a time that anywhere you go, when you introduce yourself as a Rivers man, all they see around you is APC or PDP.
“We need to come up with conversations that will tackle this and other key challenges and proffer solutions for economic progress in the state. Let’s have a conversation around holding an economic summit, and as well shift attention of the people from APC or PDP (politics).
“The basis for the summit should not just be for people to come and talk. There should be linkages for businesses and investors, a forum where both the public and private sector will share their inputs, so the government will open their safety valves. It will help us to have conversations beyond constructions and award of contracts to what enhances commerce.
“At the summit, we can draw a development plan, a 10-year development plan and part of the conversation will be how to protect the plan. There can be a legislation that anyone who goes against the plan will be tried for economic sabotage.
“So, if we have a plan, we use the Shonghai farm, and bring the banks to fund those and similar projects. The private sector brings in their inputs, seek safety valve like a development plan that can get them to bring their money to run establishments like Songhai farm.”
Wali, who is also a Lawyer, politician and an entrepreneur urged the media to downplay reportage of the political fights in the state, but join in setting economic and investment agenda for state.
Speaking further, he said investment experts and potential investors, private sectors as well as International Oil Companies, IOCs, doing business in the state would all be invited to discuss the investment potentials and set development agenda for the state, during the proposed summit.
“We are not asking the State Government to sponsor it, all we want is for it to cue into it and create enabling political environment for willing private business concerns to set the agenda for businesses and commerce in the state.”
He described as regrettable that at a time when Nigerians are finding it difficult to feed, the state has abandoned Multi-Billion Naira Songhai Integrated Farm, the Banana plantation, Fish Farms amongst other developments, which were capable of ensuring food sufficiency and generate revenue for the state.
Mr. Wali also used the medium to call on the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara to be a man of his words and revamp the Songhai farm. He also warned Rivers people against handing over the economy of the state to an outsider.
“One of the issues that Rotimi Amaechi and Nyesom Wike fought successfully was handing over the economy of Rivers State to an outsider. Now, by mere foolishness of our political class, we are pushing Governor Fubara to hand over the economy of the state to an outsider. When Rivers people are abusing Sim and Wike, encouraging them to fight each other, we are handing over the state economy to an outsider.”
