Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Paulinus Nsirim says the State remains the investment hub of the Nigeria given its huge tourism and economic potentials.

Nsirim said this today when a delegation from the Rivers State Tourism Development Agency led by its Director General, Yibo Koko paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt.

The Information Commissioner stated that aside the infrastructural drive of the Nyesom Wike led administration of the State, there was the need to source for key industry players such Yibo Koko to lead the campaign to promote the Rivers State brand independently.

He noted that Koko’s appointment did not come as a surprise to most Rivers people and even non-Rivers people given his rich antecedent in the tourism sector, stressing that there was a convergence of shared vision on how to utilize tourism in promoting the rich potentials of the State and boost her economy.

“One is not surprised looking at your pedigree that you have this avalanche of ideas for our state. I can tell you quite clearly that your vision aligns with our vision. We believe strongly that His Excellency, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Governor of Rivers state, has given the right leadership to our people. He is creating the right environment and infrastructure.”

“What is remaining is to sell tourism potential of the state. I’m sure that’s why he brought you in, purely on merit, because he understands that you know the terrain. So be rest assured that the Ministry of Information and Communications will collaborate with you to work out areas of collaboration.”

“We will work with you, every inch of the way. Just be rest assured that you have a worthy ally in the Ministry of Information. We will need to use your agency to change the negative narrative of the state.”

Nsirim, who is a also a Pastor in the Charismatic Renewal Ministries Inc, pointed out that the spectre of insecurity was being used to demarket the State even when it was not a serious issue given the massive investment in security by the current administration in the State.

“If you look at the insecurity index, Rivers state does not even come fifth in the country. There are other states that are high risk states on the insecurity index but perception, and we seem to be our own enemy because some of us that are highly placed are in the vanguard to demarket the state, but the time has come for us to show the world that this is the investment hub of Nigeria.”

Earlier, the Director General of the Rivers State tourism Development Agency, Yibo Koko had praised the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim for the accomplishments recorded so far in the Ministry under his leadership.

Koko explained that the visit was borne out of the need to create synergy between the Ministry of Information and the Tourism Agency with a view to projecting the rich culture and vast tourist attractions of Rivers State, which were yet unexplored but which the RSTDA was determined to showcase.