Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
Amid the battle for the control of the nation’s treasure base, the governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Prince Ugo Beke yesterday came up with an ambitious plan to build a new city with the capacity to generate $250 billion annually after its completion.
Beke, a merchant banker and financial consultant, further observed that Rivers could start generating above what 35 states and Abuja could earn altogether yearly if eventually elected the governor of the state.
He unveiled the plan in a statement yesterday, detailing his resolve to build Oil and Gas City, the first of its kind in Africa that would be the hub of companies, professionals and other players in the industry.
Beke explained that he alone “has what it takes to unlock the riches that will make the state earn internally generated revenue more than what it needs to bring practical prosperity to the people of Rivers State.”
He said: “With the billion oil dollars that rule the industry, commercial activities at the highest level-matched with a very high purchasing power which workers are associated with in the industry, Rivers state will become the global go-to- destination.
“I will build a brand new city that will rival Dubai in Rivers State. We can be making $250 billion every year from the new oil and gas city I intend to build when I am elected the governor of the state.
“We expect that it should shoot over $250 billion after 25 years of completion. It is a legacy project if elected in the next governorship poll. Most of the ships leaving Africa will be legally bunkered here.
“The city will be our signature project for the Niger Delta people and of course Rivers State, the home of the project. We have been not only the treasure base of Nigeria, but the entire world.
“Our oil and gas has been everywhere in the world at a very expensive cost and displeasure to the inhabitants of Niger Delta. It is time we came together to alleviate their sufferings and give them a new beautiful city.
“This new city will definitely compensate and assuage their poor living conditions of living. It will create a million jobs and above. It will sort out all of the environmental/communal troubling issues.
“The city is conceptualised to attract several forms of interesting economic activities. Some of them are, oil and gas operations, marine activities, entertainment, blue economy, artificial intelligence, ICT and sports,” Beke explained.
He said the construction of the new city would be driven by significantly by private sector, noting that funding would be done in the ratio of 10 percent of government funds and 90 percent of private equity
Beke said he would provide the political will “to ensure the full implementation of the new city project. Security of the areas and environs will be guaranteed. Our government will access one of the best consulting companies in the world.”
He, however, lamented the state’s unemployment rate, which according to him, was presently hitting the rooftop in Rivers states and Nigeria.
The governorship candidate promised to tackle the state’s unemployment rate with the establishment of the oil and gas city.
Beke explained that he had done his full home work on what it takes to turn the economy of Rivers state as well as Nigeria around and effectively make his people prosper, practically.
He also promised to secure the lives of every family and business in Rivers state with the deployment of vigilantes to every local government in the state. I will secure Rivers state for business to thrive”.
