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‘Economic Summit Capable Of Launching Rivers Into Economic Giant’
The Mayor of Housing, Mr Ace China, says the economic summit which opens in Port Harcourt today is capable of launching Rivers State into an economic giant with fast growth.
The real estate success strategist said the summit has good news for the State, which he noted would make the State to bounce back to business.
He noted that Rivers State slacked back over the years and yielded ground to Lagos and some other States in some sectors of the economy, contending, however, that a turnaround might have come.
Speaking in Port Harcourt in an interview ahead of the summit, Mr China, a real estate success strategist and Chief Executive Officer of the Housing and Construction Limited, said the good news is that time has come to reverse the downward trend.
Assuring that Rivers State has huge potentials, the Mayor said it is time to exploit them.
For instance, he said whereas some States import sand, but that Rivers State has the best sand which is why it had a glass industry called the West African Glass Industry.
“Those who arranged that the economic summit be discussed in Pidgin English radio station are wise because it has proved that they want to carry along all categories of business operations. It means all business people are required to understand the concept and objectives of the summit.
Economic summit to a common man means think before you act. It means to arrange your economy well, know your areas of advantage and priority. Planning gives better results. It teaches you to put more money where you have advantage. So, the media and strategic media groups have been lined up to communicate the summit well. It’s necessary for brand building. It will help to build Rivers State’s economy into a brand and sell it in such a way that people will understand and assimilate it well.
It means that perception is stronger than reality. Before I came to Port Harcourt, we believed that the State was terrible and that people were dying and nothing was moving and houses were falling. Now, I have found out the realty. So, the economic summit is to separate reality from perception.
For those who ask what the Rivers State Government is willing to give as incentives to boost investment, I would first say we are not here to talk politics but valuetics. It means the value for business. So, we expect people to read and listen with neutral ears not political eyes. In that case, we can say that from the point of business, this governor has done well especially in housing. The governor has excuse not to do economic summit, he has excuse not to do flag- off of projects, or not to continue old projects. But despite all this, he has continued to do projects. Few governors can do that kind of thing. He pursues peace because he thinks that where two elephants fight, the grass (the common man) will suffer. The best that touches my mind is the 20,000 housing schemes he initiated soon after inauguration. Even the Federal Government has not done 20,000, let alone States. No housing estate in Port Harcourt is up to 20,000 and all put together is not near 20,000. Even one major estate in this city is just 1000.
So, the summit is to look at where the governor has done well and where to adjust. They will review the roads and other projects. The best bridge is the one that connects lands or flying over waters. The state government has shown focus and value so far despite the situation on ground, but can do more. If he settles down, he will do wonders. As he listened in the housing sector, he will listen in other areas. His public private partnership (PPP) system in the housing scheme was great. What worries land developers is land acquisition and land papers. Sometimes they kill people just to get land. The Governor secured the land and made the developer to only face building. He also asked the developer to take direct labour, and that would give jobs to over 60,000 people. They are hiring many people. About 10 industries are involved in that project; sand industry, cement industry, electrical industry, etc. He wants to show the world that he is ready and that Rivers State is ready.
On Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) issue, in his one year in office, he has signed more Certificates of Occupancy than all others before him. The problem is most governors make Certificate of Occupancy look like getting kidney. So, we admire the man for this from the building subsector. I tell people to watch Rivers. Now, Abia is doing well, and he has got close to the governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti. The economic collaboration between both men is much.
One of my friends said before any farmer will plant, he levels and softens the ground. The major discovery we have made is that the first year is used to prepare the land. Civil servants have been treated well. They got N100,000 each for Christmas, got promotions, pension, etc. This communicates good message and investors like it. Now, three roads alone got N501.2billion in one year. Investors will be impressed by these early signs.
On potentials of Rivers State
All hands are not equal, so some States are richer and others are not so wealthy, especially in terms of internally generated revenue (IGR). In the case of Rivers State, because it is the Treasure Base of the nation which is the hydrocarbon (oil/gas) industry which is Nigeria’s economic mainstay, Rivers State is high on IGR and in wealth generation. So, when Rivers State coughs, Nigeria catches cold.
Rivers State ought to continue to be investors haven as it was in the beginning when wealth was based on productivity. At that time, Rivers State excelled in farming and port system to convert produce to export. Production without export is food. Roads and ports made Port Harcourt tick. What made Lagos important was federal capital presence. It was in Port Harcourt that business was thriving and life was bubbling. It was indeed the Garden City of Nigeria.
It was oil that brought easy money that made people abandon agricultural activities. Politics later came and made it worse. Politics made people to abandon industries and hustle. It made youths to believe that if you don’t disturb (cause violence), you will not be noticed and settled or included.
Fleeing businesses from other parts of Nigeria seem to head to Port Harcourt.
For over 20 years, fleeing investors from the North seem to have been running mostly to Port Harcourt. There is migration of business in Nigeria. That could be why Oyigbo is expanding steadily. Now, such threats to businesses seem to have reared its head in Lagos to make that place a new danger zone. It is the duty of Port Harcourt to prepare land and housing to welcome migrating businesses again.
The Nigeria Export Promotions Council (NEPC) had done an assessment of the One-State-One-Product (OSOP) scheme where a state chose which crop to specialise in and later do export and earn foreign exchange. Rivers State Government chose oil palm and added cassava. This has been for over five years but many say there has been no deliberate effort to develop these two and get their farmers to export readiness. If well managed, cassava will become an export product. See Songhai Farm initiative where the government sunk in many billions of naira, it has been allowed to rot instead of selling it because there were offers. There are several companies waiting to be revamped and privatised. At the economic summit, the government will list such companies and a handbook will answer the questions.
I carefully observed one thing over the thanksgiving events round the state. It gave me an idea. I was looking from an investment point of view. There is a book called the emotion of economics. Gloom is doom, and bloom is boom. When people are happy, things boom. A smiling face sells more. There has been no fight at the rallies, but joy and happiness. So, the people seem to be happy and this is the foundation of a start of an economy.
Agriculture is now failing in the north because of banditry, terrorism, and violence. They can’t access fertilizer anymore but that is what Rivers state produces at Indorama. That is the difference. If you create security in Rivers State on top of other values, investors will flock in.
As an active player in the real estate sector, and they say that sector is the next oil/gas, I will say the sector has a lot to contribute to the economy of Rivers State. This is because house is one of the three basic needs of man (food, shelter, clothing). You can manage one cloth. You can’t manage hunger because its no respecter of persons. Food is land-based and so its real estate. Real estate provides competitive housing. Migration has also started in Lagos. One house is built by 35 persons but if one is demolished, you scare away 35,000 persons. More persons are coming this way.
Role of Government in real estate
So, the role of government in real estate is to first is to systemize the land business; put it in the system. Meet the aboriginal owners, settle with them, register the land in the Ministry. This will remove land grabbing. As the land is changing hands, the system will keep indicating. All land being safe gives investors confidence.
Ease of Doing Business:
EoDB is another forte. There should be fixed amount to be paid for certificate of occupancy and when this is done, it should not take 21 days to pick it up, without knowing the people in government. Also, the government should issue land use regulation which stipulates what you can and cannot build in any area. The governor must put people that are trusted and not involved in politics like Olusegun Obasanjo did when he put the late Prof Dora Akunyuli in charge of drugs and food (NAFDAC).
Entertainment is another critical area:
Beyond cassava and oil palm, there is huge potential for agriculture. This is because river is source of wealth (fishing, leisure, etc, and the state is called Rivers State. There was Carniriv at one time. Those days of Rex Lawson made Port Harcourt the happening centre. Companies were paying entertainers. Now, it looks like if you don’t migrate to Lagos, you won’t succeed.
It is painful that most of the projects that others use to come first now were once started in Rivers State; power, palm kernel, monorail, airline, etc. .
Expectations from the summit:
The governor is the chief host and so he will unveil his plans and incentives. Without a summit, he started the 20,000 housing project, roads to riverine areas, etc. So, the summit will show him priorities, and EoDB, new offices to enhance business, incentives, tax waivers, etc. Abia State is now boasting with steady power. Rivers was first in that area. The healthy competition between Abia and Rivers will begin. Major impact will be rapid development in places such as Oyigbo as gateway towns.”
My-ACE China, known as the Mayor of Housing, has won the 2024 Man of the Year. The award was announced by board of trustees of the DMOMA Awards Academy in Port Harcourt at the week.
The organisers also declared his company, the Construction and Housing Mayor Limited as the brand promoter of the year, the third in a row.
The award ceremony which was held at the Arena Event centre in the GRA area of Port Harcourt was attended by several dignitaries in the society.
The organisers led by Dr. Ezebunwo Nyeche (chairman) and Stephen Chidiebere Okoye (Awards organizer) said in a statement that China was picked for his support and impact to small and medium enterprises in Rivers State, his media footsteps and his consistent propagation and promotion of Rivers State.
They noted that China won over 10 prestigious awards in 2024 alone on his track to promote Port Harcourt as a brand destination and Rivers as a peaceful state.
Handing the award to China, the organisers said the Mayor of Housing always comes to the rescue of events that aim to promote Rivers State, saying the DMOMA Awards would be held in two more cities in 2025.
Responding, Mr China said there is need for more sponsorship of talents in Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta, saying what they lacked was support.
“There is more talent in Port Harcourt but there is more support in Lagos to artistes than in Port Harcourt. So, the top talents in Port Harcourt work 10 times harder than those in Lagos to attract sponsorship.”
He also said Nigeria has a treasure base which is Port Harcourt but that the treasure is not oil and gas but talents. He said he was highly elated to win the of Man of the Year Award with his firm winning brand of the year.
In an interview, My-ACE China said he was particularly impressed with the diligence demonstrated by the organisers and the processes they used to pick winners every year.
He also said the victory showed attention paid by the organisers to unveil the personality behind the corporate masquerade, not just focusing on the company. “It actually reaffirms one of my quotes that a brand can only grow as big as the character of the visioner behind it.”
On his plans to help Port Harcourt compete with Lagos, China said 2025 will meet him doing things with the youths of Rivers State to push the Port Harcourt brand in the social media and rally the traditional press to create a positive narrative of Rivers State beyond violence and political negativity.
“The Garden City has not been enjoying the best of media perception for some years now but this is the first time we have a governor committed to non-political bias in doing his work. He does not consider whether you are a member of his party or not before doing what is right. For the first time, we have a true father of the state to all, and he has been diligently following the blueprint that stakeholders developed at the last Rivers Economic and Investment Summit, making sure he is doing it without political cronyism.”
He said his company would be building the biggest estate and the best, the ‘Alesa Sustainable Smart City, to move from brand perception to brand experience so as to move Rivers State to the next level.
He appealed to entrepreneurs not to be carried away by the old perception but to join the new way. “Position yourself because there is going to be a boom. People are rushing into Port Harcourt and new entrants may take the ground. Think expansion not contraction, think investment not divestment. Else, you miss it.”
To fellow estate investors, he admonished them to gear up for regulation. “It is no longer going to be business as usual especially for land peddling and land grabbing. Try to grow up because tangible development is going to take over.
“It is no longer going to be who sells the most land but who develops the most houses. The housing deficit in the land requires effective land development strategies. Any serious land seller should grow into a housing developer because developments are going to be coming into Rivers State and a lot of people are coming into the state.”
He said those that have grown to be developers will be many times richer than those that are just starting or are mere land sellers and peddlers. People should also position themselves because all the foreign investments and local ones will take advantage of this influx.
“The value of influx is coming, so prepare and take advantage. Be one of those that are big enough to take advantage. Remaining small will not be good but grow big in your products, in your services, because the market is going to grow big.”
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed shock and sadness over the death of a former military governor of the State, Major-General Godwin Osagie Abbe (rtd).
Late Abbe, who hails from Edo State, was military governor of Rivers State between August, 1990 and January, 1992.
Governor Fubara described late Gen Abbe as one leader who dedicated himself to the service and wellbeing of Rivers people and humanity during his administration in the State, saying that the death of the distinguished military officer, politician and administrator was a very huge loss to the State, the Niger Delta, and indeed, the entire country, having traversed the length and breath of the nation in the cause of his military and political careers.
“On behalf of my family, the Government and good people of Rivers State, I condole with the family of the Abbes, the Edo people, and the Nigerian military on the demise of this colossus, whose contributions to the unity, peace and development of the nation are legendary.
“While we mourn his painful exit at this difficult time, we pray for the eternal repose of his soul, and urge the family to take solace in the fact that late Gen Abbe lived a fulfilled life in the service of his fatherland.”
Wife of Rivers State Governor, Lady Valerie Siminalayi Fubara, has noted with delight that Rivers children are well behaved, and has admonished them to remain supportive of their parents while striving always to make a difference wherever they find themselves.
Lady Fubara gave the counsel at the 2024 Christmas Children Party, attended by children from the 23 Local Government Areas of the State, including non-indigenes, at Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
The Christmas Children Party also witnessed the presence of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who stopped over to share moments with them, walking from one canopy to another, waving at them, and at other times, shaking hands with them to leave lasting memories on them.
The Rivers First Lady pointed to the importance of the celebration of Christmas, which draws attention to the birth of Jesus Christ, demanding that people have a deep reflection of the love that is demonstrated and mission of the birth, which is to redeem mankind.
Lady Fubara recalled how she took out time to visit the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, where she appreciated God for safe delivery of children born on Christmas day while felicitating with the nursing mothers.
She also stated the valuable time spent with motherless babies when she visited the Port Harcourt Children’s Home in Borikiri, old Port Harcourt Township, and celebrated their meekness, innocence and the beauty they bring to the world.
She said, “Even today, as we continue the celebration, efforts were made to extend invitation to our children in all the 23 local government areas of our State. In doing this, children from all classes of society, including the physically challenged, have been offered the opportunity to sit together as brothers and sisters, play, eat and dance.
“Whilst contemplating the uniqueness of celebrating Christmas on a Boxing Day, steps were equally taken to provide gifts for the children who are there, and also to pray for them, a qualitative fun session that will last in their memories.”
Lady Fubara advised all children in the State to remember that Jesus came into the world to make a difference, advising that they must emulate him so that they can positively impact their families and society.
She urged them to pray fervently to God to bless and prosper their mothers, daddies, aunties and uncles to better cater to their needs.
She added, “Be humble, obedient and supportive at home. Do household chores, and don’t forget to make excellent grades in school next academic session. Children are the joy of every home, and we are glad to have beautiful, well-behaved children in Rivers State.
“Thank you all for witnessing this 2024 Children’s Party, and I pray God Almighty to protect, shield and keep you safe from all negative companies in the name of Jesus. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2025. God bless you all,” she said.
Lady Fubara expressed appreciation to her husband and Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for his absolute commitment to the growth of children, and the immeasurable support that ensured that Christmas Children Party was a success.
There were performances by Virtue Dancers, Kalabari Iria dancers, Wonder Time Children of Opobo Kingdom, Children of Rivers State Council of Arts and Culture, Diseye the Poet and DJ Arnold.