Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday, attended the State Economic and Investment Summit, day two with its theme: ‘Rivers Emerge: Advancing Pathways To Economic Growth And Sustainability’.
The epochal event held at the main Auditorium of the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
The Governor, along with the former Governor of Cross River State, Mr Donald Duke, had accompanied the Keynote Speaker, and former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), His Royal Highness, Muhammad Sanusi II, to the summit ground for his enchanting presentation.
Part of the focus included: harnessing the blue economy: investment opportunities for sustainable coastal and marine sector growth; impact of government regulations: enhancing the ease of doing business in Rivers State; attracting investment in manufacturing: strategies for collaboration and partnership; diversification strategies: reducing dependency on oil and gas and fostering economic resilience.
Delivering the keynote address, the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness (HRH), Muhammad Sanusi II, said that the gross damage done to the national economy in the past 10 years, cannot be undone in one year but advised that immediate steps must be taken to deliberately rejuvenate enduring economic activities for growth.
He called for a paradigm shift in harnessing efforts towards sustainable economic growth and prosperity with tenable decisions that strengthen governance around economic development in order to improve investment promotion.
The former CBN Governor noted that implementing reforms of an economy at any level of either state or nation can hurt mere politics, and indeed, painful because it will appear unpopular but added that it must done to guarantee a better future the people.
He said, “As the second largest economy in Nigeria after Lagos, Rivers State has a unique opportunity to emerge as a beacon of progress in all places.
“It has the opportunity to operationalize ideals of the concept of the sub-nationalism in a federal context by building a resilient, dynamic, modern and effective system that fosters economic development and prosperity.
“But sitting on oil or any natural resources is not enough for economic development. Oil is a resource and is not enough to make us a wealthy country.
“To achieve development, it is imperative that we recognize the need to take specific steps that transcend natural resources, to diversify and institutionalize foundational economic framework to fully reap the blessing of all in stock.”
HRH Sanusi said in order to harness the abundant resources into real blessing, leaders must stop being accursed so that they can make the right choices to foster deep thinking, deliberate and strategic actions with political will to perform and achieve sustainable development.
“Human capital and good governance are why countries that are complex in their characteristics such as India, Brazil, China and the US, have developed through innovation, intellectual probity, education and strong public institutions.
“We must put a stress on human capital and design education and skill training that are fit for this century.
“You need innovators and entrepreneurs that will supply services across all value chains and industries, and it is important to raise the quality of schools by investing in teaching capacity, learning tools and pedology that will nurture a culture of creativity and problem solving.
“It is critically important to invest in vocational training and apprenticeship to close education gap, aligning with the needs of our economy.”
Welcoming quests to the event, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Dr. Tammy Danagogo, said that the ongoing discussions and exchange of ideas on economic growth are geared towards securing a promising future for the State.
Represented by Head of the State Civil Service Dr George Nwaeke, Dr. Danagogo, noted the statesmanship of Governor Fubara, whose mind is set on the sustenance of the next generation, adding that he was laying the foundation that will drive the State on the path of economic prosperity.
He said, “The Governor is a statesman because the benefits of the economic summit and things that will be put on ground will benefit our people and make the future generation more responsible.
“His (Fubara) commitment to sustainable development, his foresight in planning for the long-term, and unwavering dedication to the betterment of our State now and for the future, truly places him as a true leader.”
Dr Danagogo said further: “I, therefore, urge each person here present to draw inspiration from the ethos as we continue our discussion today. Let us channel our energies towards finding solutions that will not only benefit us today, but will also lay a solid foundation for generations that will follow.
“Together, we can create a legacy of progress, prosperity and sustainable development that will define the future of Rivers State and give her the pride of place in the comity of states.”
In her goodwill message, the Director of International Operations at the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Stella Fubara, expressed delight that the news of the summit has started reverberating at the global stage.
She pointed to the commendations elicited for the Governor Fubara for his commitment to laying the foundation for a renewed economic growth of the State.
The global tourism expert urged the citizens to realise that they are the greatest resources and the answer to the expected economic development, which demands that they must be involved in the process, critically and passionately in their contributions to ensure growth.
She thanked the Governor for placing the State on the global map for potential investors to explore, given the diverse opportunities available, and charged him to sustain the momentum in order to realise the vision of turning the State to the best investment destination of the present and future generations.
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