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Mayor of Housing Reveals Fubara’s Strongest attraction For Investors
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has revealed one of the strongest attractions Governor Siminialayi Fubara holds for investors like him. He called it “humility for continuity”.
China, who is also the CEO of Housing and Construction Mayor Limited, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
According to him, for any governor to focus on completion of projects of his predecessor was a huge act in humility.
“Governance in Nigeria is such that politics is prioritized over valuetics.
“To know you did not start this project, but because you have the interest of the people at heart, you continue it, even in the midst of political crisis.”
“I have a quote that ‘without delivering tangible dividends of democracy, politics is the greatest liability any society can have”.
He gave examples of good projects that were stalled in Rivers State because of discontinuity as “the Rivers State Geographical Information System (RivGis) and the Rainbow Estate in Trans-Amadi”.
He said a huge loss had been incurred in the two projects just because successive administrations did not like the previous administrations that initiated those projects.
He said: “So, one of the reasons RivGis has not worked is because successive governments have come to truncate the good works of previous administrations.
“And when people are saying that the present governor has scored ‘zero’ because he continued and completed the projects that his predecessor started, I am wondering what planet these guys are speaking from.
“Because what has been killing any policy or project started by an administration is discontinuity by the next administration.
“Now, if any administration says it wants to continue the ones he inherited for the sake of the people, what makes that an offence”, he said.
He, therefore, called for the revival of RivGis, saying the way out is to systematize lands and housing subsector.
“I did not become Mayor of Housing in Port Harcourt, but in Abuja. I can tell you that the ease of doing business (EoDB) in Abuja is 100 times faster than in Rivers State.”
The Mayor of Housing revealed that Nigeria at the moment needs about N21 trillion to close the over 28 million housing deficit.
The Mayor of Housing advised Gov. Fubara on what to do to move the economy of the oil-rich state back to the front seat.
“Many business leaders point to the crisis of obtaining land papers in Rivers State and say this deserves urgent attention to attract investors.
“They also think housing deficit in Nigeria is getting out of hand.
Rivers State is the 7th most populous state in Nigeria with about seven million people. By December 2018, Nigeria posted about 20 million housing deficit, needing N21 trillion to close the gap.
“Gov. Sim Fubara of Rivers State has started with 20,000 low-cost houses that may be scaled up to 100,000. This looks promising. There is hope for more estates to spring up if ease of land papers, ease of regulation, etc can be enthroned.
Mayor of Housing attributed the bane of the housing sector in Rivers State to three major issues.
“First, let’s look at the Rivers housing situation. The housing deficit in Rivers State is worse because it is a one-city state, making most persons to cluster in the state capital, the oil city.
“By this, of the population of about 7 million people in the state, over 5 million people are congested in the state capital, Port Harcourt. In terms of city congestion, Port Harcourt is second most congested.
“Other states may have their population spread around, but in Rivers, it’s all in Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor, and Eleme. When you have sequestration or concentration in one place, the ones that have houses in the villages come to the city to be homeless. They add to the housing deficit. There is exacerbation of deficit in the city.
“Next, there is absence of housing data in Rivers State. There are the superlative and fundamental factors in the Rivers housing analogy.
“The fundamental is that there is no agency in charge of all matters relating to lands and housing. In Rivers State, there are about five ministries and agencies looking after the sector.
“A single agency would have been the Rivers State Geographical Information System (RIVGIS), but because it is not fully functional, you now have the Ministry of Lands, Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Urban Development, the Surveyor-General’s Office, and more. In this situation, none has responsibility to collate all matters and interface with the public.”
According to him, the second most lucrative sector after oil in Nigeria right now is property.
“Until RivGis is so digitalized that there is no or minimal human interference just like in the banks, the state will not surge forward in development.
“The governor has said he started real governance in February 2024. We know that things are not where they should be, but we are very optimistic they are going to be far better because of the body language of the governor. The way the governor spoke shows he means business.
“He said at the summit that the state is now open for businesses. We in the private sector want to see more PPP initiatives and projects.
On what investors wanted from the Fubara administration, he said: “As an offshoot from the summit where investors expressed difficulty in getting land papers (certificates of occupancy), access to land, etc. I am sure this governor will follow through.
“The summit itself is a success for the mere fact that it took place, because that is the first one the state has had in 13 years. It shows that this governor means business. That is how the investors feel about the summit.
“Two: The continuity from the previous administration’s projects despite having issues with that administration, and he didn’t take out any of those projects because of malice of anything; that alone is a boost of confidence for the private sector.
“Third: Flag-off and actual start of construction of the 20,000 low-cost housing units under a PPP is also a confidence booster. Please, people should not underrate that project, because there has been hardly any FG housing project above 2,000 in a particular locus. The biggest FG housing project in Rivers State is the Trans-Amadi Garden which is not up to 1,000. Agip Housing Estate is also a FG housing project, and I am not sure it is over 2,000. So, 20,000 is actually a new city.
“This is one of the reasons real estate investors are comfortable with the 20,000 and in PPP.”
“My sincere advice to Gov. Fubara is to increase the number and size of PPP schemes. It is not only in projects but in planning. World class businesses often engage consultants to get them the information and finished reports to work with.
He also called on Gov. Fubara to endeavour to bring out a white paper on the summit.
“The governor needs to, as a matter of fact, sit down with group leaders, especially captains of industry and technocrats and develop a white paper from the summit’s panel discussions. The governor can ask, who do you know that can actually do this or that. Just like the way the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) wanted to use Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to remove election irregularities, though it was abused.
“We can ask for who has the expertise to map Rivers State and plan it vis-à-vis the part that has not yet been developed. Then, not only to have this in the system but have it in the public domain that everybody knows that this is the plan.”
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, had lauded the courage and commitment of troops of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in North East Nigeria.
Abubakar gave the commendation during a morale-boosting visit to the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI in Maiduguri, Borno.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, yesterday, in Abuja.
The CAS said their sacrifices were etched in the history of the nation, and in the hearts of millions of Nigerians who sleep safer because of the troops’ vigilance.
He emphasised that their bravery and resilience in the face of adversity have not gone unnoticed, saying his visit underscored the vital role airpower plays in neutralising threats and protecting communities.
Abubakar pledged continued investment in cutting-edge technology to empower frontline units.
According to him, the NAF remains steadfast in its mission, guided by leadership, strengthened by unity, and driven by the selfless service of its personnel.
The visit comes at a critical moment, reinforcing the importance of public support for military operations and spotlighting the human element at the heart of national defence.
Nigeria’s soft drinks and beverage market continues to show strong growth potential, making it the leading consumer of soft drinks in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the German Mechanical Engineering Industry Association.
A statement by the VDMA disclosed during a press conference held in Lagos ahead of drinktec 2025, that Nigeria consumed over 53 billion litres of soft drinks in 2024, placing it well ahead of other African countries such as Ghana and South Africa.
Despite challenges such as inflation and a weakening naira, Nigeria’s growing population, rising urbanisation, and expanding middle class are key factors driving demand in the beverage sector.
Bottled water led the segment with 48.7 billion litres sold in 2024, a figure projected to rise by 27% to 62 billion litres by 2028.
Carbonated soft drinks followed with 3.4 billion litres, expected to reach 4.4 billion litres by 2028, while energy drinks are forecasted to grow by 30% over the same period. Juices, though relatively small, are also on an upward trajectory.
“The Nigerian beverage market is expanding quickly due to increasing accessibility and affordability,” VDMA stated, citing data from Euromonitor International.
Set to take place in Munich from 15 to 19 September 2025, drinktec is the world’s leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry.
VDMA, a key exhibitor and technical partner for the event, revealed that Nigerian participation is expected to be strong, especially as the country anticipates economic recovery.
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has condemned the recent ban placed on a song by Nigerian musician, Eedris Abdulkareem, describing the development as a return to the culture of censorship and a threat to the right to free expression.
Abdulkareem had waxed a song titled “Tell Your Papa” which criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
In a statement issued from New York University, Abu Dhabi, yesterday, Soyinka criticised the action and its wider implications, saying it echoed past attempts to stifle artistic and socio-political commentary in Nigeria.
“Courtesy of an artist operating in a different genre – the cartoon – who sent me his recent graphic comment on the event, I learnt recently of a return to the culture of censorship with the banning of the product of a music artist, Eedris Abdulkareem,” Soyinka said in the piece posted on PM news.
He expressed irony in suggesting that the ban did not go far enough, stating, “It is not only the allegedly offensive record that should be banned – the musician himself should be proscribed. Next, PMAN, or whatever musical association of which Abdulkareem is member, should also go under the hammer.”
Soyinka noted that he had not listened to the banned song but stressed that the issue transcends content and concerns a fundamental democratic principle.
“It cannot be flouted. That, surely is basic. This is why I feel that we should look on the bright side of any picture and thus recommend the Aleshinloye cartoon – and others in allied vein – as an easy-to-apprehend, easy-to-digest summation of the wisdom of attempting to stifle unpalatable works of art or socio-political commentary,” he said.
He also pointed out the irony that censorship often benefits the targeted artist.
The ban is a boost to the artist’s nest egg, thanks to free governmental promotion. Mr. Abdulkareem must be currently warbling his merry way all the way to the bank. I envy him,” he added.
The literary icon warned that such censorship was not only counterproductive but also dangerous to democratic development.
“We have been through this before, over and over again, ad nauseum. We know where it all ends. It is boring, time-wasting, diversionary but most essential of all, subversive of all seizures of the fundamental right of free expression,” Soyinka said.
He warned that the ban creates “a permissive atmosphere of trickle-down power,” where state authorities feel emboldened to clamp down on dissent.
Soyinka’s statement also touched on broader issues of impunity and mob violence in Nigeria, lamenting the recent lynching of 19 youths in Edo State.
“My heart goes out to friends, colleagues and families of victims and traumatised survivors of this senseless slaughter. Our thirst for justice must remain unslaked,” he said.
Referencing the 2022 killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto, Soyinka criticised the culture of impunity, saying, “Identified killers were set free to gloat, and paste their photos on the Social Media… in full daylight glare, in the presence of both citizen voyeurs and security forces.”
He called for accountability, warning that “as long as the culture of impunity is given the sheerest strain of legitimacy in any given cause, such gruesome assaults on our common humanity will continue to prevail.”
Soyinka concluded by urging the relevant regulatory body to reverse what he described as a “petulant irrationality,” warning that any government that only tolerates praise-singers “has already commenced a downhill slide into the abyss.”
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