1st March, 2024
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Port Harcourt based businessman and a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kingsley Wenenda Wali, has said the toxic political fight between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, the Minister of Federal Capital is scaring investors away from Rivers State.
Wali, who is also the Convener of the Unity House Foundation (UHF), a peace, social justice and good governance advocacy group added that good governance and the dividends of democracy have taken flight in Rivers state due to the tussle between Wike and his erstwhile godson, Fubara.
According to Wali, as long as the current situation continues, no investor will invest a dime in Rivers state” “No investor both local or foreign will risk a dime in Rivers State under the never-ending negative narrative of the toxic political tussle between Wike and Fubara in both local and foreign media”
Weli, who professed to be a friend to Wike, Fubara and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, also a former Governor of Rivers, regretted that the toxic political fight in State has been taken too far and the common Rivers people are suffering the consequences.
As a way out of quagmire, Wali, who is also a lawyer, charged the the media to downplay the reportage of the toxic political fights in Rivers, but join in setting economic and Investment agenda for state.
As part of the measures to change the negative narrative of Rivers State, he called on government and the media to support the private initiative to convoke an Economic Summit for State.
Weli told journalists that at the proposed Summit, Investment experts and potential Investors will be invited to discuss the investment potentials and set Development Agenda for Rivers State.
“We are not asking the State Government to sponsor it, all we want is for it to key into it and create enabling political environment for willing private business concerns to kickstart and set the agenda for businesses and Commerce in the State.”
Wali further lamented that it is regrettable that at this time when Nigerians are finding it difficult to feed, the state has abandoned Multi-Billion Naira Songhai Integrated Farm, Banana Farm, Fish Farms and others which are capable of ensuring food sufficiency and generate revenue for the State.
In his response on behalf of the Journalists at interactive session, Amaechi Okonkwo, Chairman Correspondent’s Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists said media practitioners are also interested in supporting businesses to grow in the state.
Also, Segun Owolabi, the Business Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Super 93.3 fm said journalists in the State are equally concerned about the tense political atmosphere in the State.
He noted that the atmosphere is not healthy for business and investments in the State while the ultimate losers are the common Rivers people.