Dr. Vincent Furo is the President, Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), as well as the Deputy Treasurer, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA). In this interview with ANAYO ONUKWUGHA, Furo speaks on a number of issues including the idea of building an oil and gas centre in Port Harcourt.
How far has PHCCIMA gone with the International Oil and Gas Centre project?
Let me clearly say that I am instrumental to the commencement of that project as far back as 2005, when the idea was nurtured. I brought it forward in Yenagoa in 2007 when we went for the National Council of Commerce with the help of then Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Commerce, and now Minister, Ms. Ama Pepple. With the cooperation of the then governor, Dr. Peter Odili, I brought that project to be.
In terms of structures, what has PHCCIMA achieved in the project so far?
It is not a small project. It takes a lot of processing and we have not even concluded the processing. During the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the then Minister of Commerce, Engr. Ugwu, assisted us by putting in a memo to the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Thereafter, a steering committee was formed and that steering committee has been meeting ever since. At a stage, the programme went flat because of leadership issue. The former Rivers State Commissioner for Commerce did not continue where his predecessor stopped. So, that was the problem and Rivers State produced chairman of the steering committee, which is made up of all the multi-nationals and other stakeholders in the oil and gas sector.
Let me not bore you with the history; the main objective of PHCCIMA pushing for that project is to bring oil and gas institutions down to Rivers State, which is the natural base for hydrocarbons because what is happening now is that Lagos and Abuja are just taking what belongs to us.
This is where the infrastructure should be and that is why we looking at how we can develop the infrastructure here. Instead of going to Aberdeen or off-shore Europe or to USA for oil and gas conferences, those things should be held here. So far, we have gotten to where we are today due to the pressure from PHCCIMA.
The present Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Mr. George Feyii is very passionate about this project. I believe that within next shortest time, the whole process will be on the front-burner. The steering committee went far and three things were remaining. They are, the site for the project, a visit to similar countries abroad, to get consortium to handle the project.
Are you getting any form of assistance from state governments in the Niger Delta region in respect of this project?
The project is for both the federal and Rivers State governments. The two governments are the key; PHCCIMA is just a stakeholder. We have about 20% in the whole project. So, assistance may come but it will not come directly to us. It may go to either the federal or the state government.
What has PHCCIMA contributed towards the economic growth of Rivers State under your administration?
We have contributed in many ways. We have created awareness and even went as far as making meaningful suggestions to the state government. We took the issue of double taxation seriously and the state government on its side also cooperated. We have done a lot of other things which I will not be able to mention here.
We give meaningful advice to government and, in some areas, we partner with the state Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well as the Ministry of Energy Resources. Of course, we pay particular attention to the youths. We try to talk to them sometimes, when issues seem to be going out of hand. We engage them during our trade fairs; we give them temporary jobs, thereby improving the micro-economy of the state.
When will PHCCIMA upgrade the Port Harcourt International Trade Fair to the standards of that of Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu?
We have made a case to the national level. So, what they want to do is to put Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu international trade fairs as representing the geo-political zones of the country while that of Port Harcourt should be international oil and gas trade fair. It will be a specialised trade fair. I believe we will continue to develop it because we are working assiduously to ensure that we achieve that oil and gas trade fair.
Do you believe in the ability of the BRACED Commission to lift the economy of the South-South region?
We are part of the South-South Economic Summit being organised by the commission. What really matters is if individual state government in the region are really committed towards achieving that. During the first economic summit at Tinapa in Calabar, we were there and we made presentation.
Also, we were in Asaba, Delta State last April for the second economic summit and we made presentation, but this time, through the Rivers State Economic Advisory Council. The advisory council is the main consultant on the economic issue.?
If what BRACED Commission is doing presently is properly harnessed, by giving the economic summit to a strong consultant to market, pushing it to the world, there is a lot of potentiality there.
Port Harcourt is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa today and a lot of investments are coming into the city; what is PHCCIMA doing to tap into these opportunities?
PHCCIMA, if you can remember was at the forefront of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited and other multinational companies relocating to Port Harcourt from Lagos. We insisted that all these multinationals that are operating here with their headquarters outside Rivers State should relocate because Port Harcourt is their natural base.
On what we are tapping from these opportunities, well, I will say that we enjoy good cooperation with these companies. Total, for example, is a dependable ally, just like other multinationals. We play a lot of roles in their activities and, in return, they support us likewise. So, we encourage our members to look for jobs, source for contracts and when they come here for information, we gladly render such to them.
Do you think that the Rivers State government has lived up to expectation in the execution of its public private partnership (PPP) concept?
The truth is that the Rivers State government, under the leadership of His Excellency Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, is paying lip-service to the much celebrated private public partnership in the state. In fact, the administration has not done much to actualise that concept.?
The PPP in Rivers State is only on the pages of newspapers because only little is being done to justify its performance. Though, we have not lost any hope, we are still expecting the practical aspect of the PPP.
What do you think should be done to check corruption in Nigeria?
As I have always said, there is only one way to begin a genuine struggle to end corruption in Nigeria: that is for our political leaders to cut down on their expenditure while in office and the first way to cut down expenditure is to reduce the number of aides they appoint once they get into office.?
Look at our state governors today, some of them have close to 30 commissioners in their cabinets, outside their special advisers and special assistants. All of them are placed on monthly salary and allowances. It should be made to become a law in Nigeria that no state governor should have more than 15 commissioners in his cabinet.?
I believe that a sizeable number of commissioners in the state cabinet will enable the governors to cut down on government expenditure economically, rather than having a robust cabinet that does not produce results.?
If we are serious about fighting corruption in Nigeria, then a state governor or any public servant in the country should have more than two cars and even the two cars should be fuelled by the governor or the public servant from his own pocket and not from the coffers of the state. The way Nigeria society is now, corruption has eaten deep into every section of our lives and it needs sincerity to purge us all to do the right thing.
As a result of the return of peace to the Niger Delta region, more businesses and companies are opening in Port Harcourt; what is the PHCCIMA doing to ensure effective monitoring of the activities of these new businesses and companies?
We are doing a lot towards that because we know very well that it is not all the businesses and companies that open shop are out for genuine commercial activities. In fact, we will soon commence the process of sponsoring a bill at the Rivers State House of Assembly that will ensure that all that want to do business in the state register with the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce.
This will enable the public substantiate the nature of business, the people involved and the authenticity of their businesses? and will also help government to? fish out those reaping huge benefits from the state yet evade tax.
PHCCIMA sponsoring a bill to that effect may sound strange to you, but it is part of our entrusted and oversight function of giving service for the benefit of commerce and business in the state. We are here to promote the economic interests of commerce and industry in the state, to stimulate the activity and development of the business community taking the public interest into account, and to monitor the activities of fraudulent individuals and companies who engage in unwholesome activities.?
Therefore, it has become imperative to get these local, multinational and other businesses to register with the chamber for proper documentation, public awareness and to ensure decorum in operating business outfits in the state.?
We can no longer allow deceitful companies and individuals to truncate our effort in attracting and making business breakthroughs with prospective countries which intends to do genuine business in the state. PHCCIMA possesses the capacity and expertise to offer the needed advice and platform for business development and information to thrive.
What is your take on the move by the Rivers State government to revive some of its moribund companies?
During a meeting of professionals with Governor Amaechi sometime last year, I called on the state government to build stronger synergy with PHCCIMA if it hopes to revive some of its moribund companies and industries. I observed that there was the need for government to encourage the synergy with the Chamber of Commerce to enable existing moribund industries in the state to be revitalised.?
We have our professional allies abroad who have the magic wand to turn around the fortunes of the moribund company and with the approval of Governor Amaechi, we were able to contact them.? I am happy that the state government bought into our idea and, today, Pabod Breweries is doing very well in the hands of investors, and very soon, both Delta Rubber Company and Risonplam will fully begin production.