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President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Dr Emi Membere-Otaji has called on the Federal Government to fast track the ease of doing business nationally, especially in the area of power, security, infrastructure among others and also show strong political will to tackle under development in the Niger Delta, while applying the carrot and stick approach in taming security challenges in the area.
Dr Membere-Otaji made this call during a presentation titled: ‘Doing Business In Rivers State – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Challenges and Opportunities,’ at the Corporate Rivers event held in Port Harcourt.
He urged serious investors to discard the insecurity propaganda peddled by enemies of Rivers state and take advantage of inherent opportunities to invest massively in the state, especially now government has engaged in impressive infrastructural development, with work in process for harmonization of the state and various local government tax regimes, amongst other measures, to encourage investors.
He quoted the recently released National Bureau of statistics (NBS) report which revealed that Lagos and Abuja led crime incidences in 2016, stressing that insecurity is now a major national problem and not exclusive to Niger Delta states.
Speaking on the genesis of Rivers State and the Niger Delta, he said the area was deep-rooted on trade and commerce, adding that since inception to date the area has remained a strategic hub and commercial nerve centre for various businesses.
Rivers state according to him is very strategic to the nation’s economy, hence the need for the central government to overcome some of the challenges hampering business in the state. He called on the federal government to put into action the call by the Acting President of Nigeria – Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, that oil companies relocate their headquarters to their areas of operations, maintaining that in so doing, they will in tandem with the various governments develop Rivers State and the Niger delta area as well.
Speaking on ways to achieve desirable impacts in the region, he explained that it will be necessary to reorient the people especially the youths and community leaders to discard the rent seeking mentality, embrace dignity of labour and to stop being hostile to any form of business activities in their localities, more so private ones that are not related in any way or form to the acquired oilfields.
The PHCCIMA boss called for the re-inventing of Port Harcourt ports, and to nip in the bud infrastructural decay and un-dredged channels that have continued to constitute impediments to import and export business, which has continued to provide loopholes for businesses to gravitate to Lagos., even as he observed that the socioeconomic gains of ports and stimulation of shipping activities cannot be over emphasized.
Reeling out opportunities that can be provided by vibrant ports in the region, he said, apart from fishing and shipping, if these ports are revived, agricultural and agro processing businesses will naturally thrive as a vibrant port will ensure easy exports of primary and processed agricultural produce.
“We must step up from the states comparative advantage of massive crude oil and natural gas, value chains, in various scopes and clusters which will lead to increase development of SME’s”. He harped on the need to begin to look inward to the untapped potentials in the tourism sector. ”We have beautiful natural Islands, beaches, creeks and mangroves in the area, we must take a lift from the Caribbean island countries that single handedly sustains their economy through tourism business”.
Others who spoke at the event include, chairman of the occasion, O.C.J Okocha who lauded the business community, stressing that the monumental achievements of Rivers State wouldn’t have been possible if not for corporate contribution in the form of tax, corporate social responsibilities among others.
MD/CEO of MoniPulo, Mrs Seinye Lulu Briggs, spoke on challenges and achievements in the petroleum industry in the state, while an executive director with Heritage Bank, Ada Udensi took the rostrum to highlight the journey so far in the financial services sector in the state, affirming that those that said Rivers State is unsafe are peddling rumours based on mere perception.
Similarly, Mr. Asawo Ibifuro, MD/CEO/CO Founder, Cinfores Limited, a Nigerian based Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company that has embarked on the production of software and deployment of education solutions and services, amongst others gave an inspiring story of grass to grace, challenges and achievements of ICT in the state while the MD/CEO of Pabod Breweries Paul Bertman spoke on behalf of the manufacturing companies. Genesis Fast food owner, Dr Nnato Orazulike made presentations on achievements and challenges in the hospitality industry, saying Rivers State is surely investors’ haven.
