TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the state government has developed a strong security architecture to attract foreign and local investors.
Wike said this when he granted audience to the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens-Peter Kjemprud, at the Government House Port Harcourt.
He informed that more investments were being made to further improve security in the state.
He said: “We have improved security in the state and that has given confidence to investors. We are further developing the security architecture for better security of lives and property”.
Governor Wike said that with improved security, most shipping companies have returned to Onne Port in Rivers, to carry out their businesses.
He said that Onne Port is one of the biggest and best equipped ports in the country that would easily accommodate more ships and facilitate trade.
He said that the Rivers Government will continue to work out ways to partner with Norway, especially in the area of agriculture.
“We want to partner with your government in the area of agriculture. Our focus will be fish farming to improve our economy and empower most of our people”, he said.
The governor called greater cooperation between Norway and Rivers.
He noted that the Rivers Government was interested in interacting with leading investors from Norway, with a view to attracting them to invest in the state.
The governor urged the Norwegian government to open a consulate in Port Harcourt because of its strategic position in the economy of the country.
Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Jens-Peter Kjemprud, said that the Norwegian government was committed to improving its relationship with Rivers government in order to enhance economic growth.
He said, at present, Norwegian companies were working in the construction industry in the state.
He said that if the Petroleum Industry Bill is passed, businesses would grow, while jobs will be created in Rivers State and other oil producing states.
He noted that 50 Norwegian companies are working in the nation’s oil and gas sector.
The Ambassador said that Port Harcourt is the alternative to Lagos and would be patronised by investors.
On the request by the governor for the opening of Norwegian Consulate in Port Harcourt, he said that steps had been taken to actualize this goal.
The ambassador invited the governor to Norway to interact with different classes of investors to enhance the economic cooperation between Norway and Rivers.
Chief Executive Officer of Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre, Charles Wami, accompanied the Ambassador to the Government House Port Harcourt.