Rivers, Federal Government Sign Agreement On Creative

The Rivers State government on Monday, signed an agreement with the federal government towards developing the tourism potentials of the state and advancing the Renewed Hope Cultural Project of the Tinubu administration.

At the event held at the Government House,bPort Harcourt, Governor Siminalayi Fubara  reaffirmed his commitment towards the  speedy execution of the Oyorokoto Beach Resort project, pledging to ensure that it is fully developed to make Rivers State a tourism hub  in Nigeria.

Governor Fubara disclosed that in the last three years, the his administration has invested a lot of resources in expanding the tourism sector in the state because of its desire to develop leisure spots, create jobs and diversify the local economy.  

“We have invested in expanding the tourism sector of Rivers State. Some months ago, the project for the new tourist beach which we embarked upon in partnership with Landmark kicked off. 

“They’ve  already started their work and from what they promised, by this December the first phase will be unveiled  and made ready for public use,” he said.

According to Governor Fubara, some aspects of the Renewed Hope Cultural Project  were  part of  what  his administration had in mind when  it initiated  the Ngô- Atlantic Oyorokoto Road  project in Andoni Local Government Area of the state. 

“It is a project that will  open up that axis of  Rivers State. The Oyorokoto Beach is one of the best beaches in this country. Today, I can tell you that all over the internet, I’ve been seeing pictures of elephants, lions and other sorts of wildlife that  are being showcased as part of the tourist attractions on that new road,” he said. 

Governor Fubara observed that infrastructure development is not just about building roads, bridges and  hospitals but also about  building an economy for entertainment and relaxation.

He said that in Europe and some  of the Middle East countries such as United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, their economies are not just boosted  by their good roads but  also by the  hospitality industry they have created to  provide comfort and relaxation to tourists. 

“If not for this crisis in Iran, the closest tourism destination that everybody  yearns for is  Dubai, to go there  and enjoy. 

“So, what we are trying to do here is,  if we can’t go to Dubai, let’s provide our own Dubai in Rivers State. If we can’t go to Qatar, let’s provide our own Qatar or Spain in Oyorokoto,” he said. 

Governor Fubara gave assurance that Rivers  state  will  not just sign the agreement, but   will make sure that it  goes further to put up something visible in the next four months.

He expressed appreciation to the federal government for  picking Rivers State as one of the key states  for the project, adding that both parties to the agreement will work as  partners in progress. 

Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa signed the agreement  on behalf of the federal government, while the  Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Culture, Mr. Ishmael Tomonialadeokuma, signed on behalf of the state.

In her brief remarks, Musawa described the project  as timely, adding that it is in line with the desire of President Bola Tinubu to ensure collaboration between the federal government and the various states on expanding the creative industry in the country.

According to the minister, the main goal of the project is economic diversification and expansion as well as job creation. 

She hailed Governor Fubara for what his administration has  done in the area of art, culture, tourism and creative economy, describing it as being very vast.