BY ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Port Harcourt
A good governance advocacy group, the Unity House Foundation (UHF), has called on the Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to convoke an economic summit, in order to chart a development course for the state.
UHF national leader, Kingsley Wenenda Wali, who made the call yesterday at a media luncheon organised by the group in Port Harcourt, said the summit is part of measures to change the negative narratives of the state.
Wali called on the state government and the media to support the private initiative to convoke the summit.
He expressed frustration that good governance and the dividends of democracy have taken flight in the state due to the political tussle between Fubara and his estranged godfather and minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The UHF leader cautioned that no serious potential Investors would come to the state to do business in the present rancorous political atmosphere.
Wali said, „Let us just have a conversation about holding an economic summit, it will help put aside all of these politics. We play too much politics in Rivers State. So, we must have a conversation.
“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.
“We should have a talking programme where all of these issues will be discussed. The basis for the summit is not for people to come and talk. There should be linkages and part of the linkages is for both the public and private sector to share their inputs so that the government will open their safety valves.
“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.“
He stated that if convoked, the summit would provide basis for linkages for businesses and investors and to have conversations beyond constructions and award of contracts to what enhances commerce.
