The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Rivers State has called for effective governance and infrastructural development to unlock the State’s blue economy potential.
The Chairman of the Chapel, Amaechi Okonkwo, made the call in his welcome address during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Correspondents’ Week in Port Harcourt.
The event was themed: “Blue Economy: Starting Steps for Rivers State,” with the sub-theme: “Enhancing the Economic Welfare of Journalists in a Period of Economic Crisis.”
Okonkwo said: “Rivers State, being as rich in ocean resources as it is in oil and gas, should position itself as a premium maritime state by deploying the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation.”
He added: “The state possesses significant blue economy potential, particularly in fisheries, tourism, and maritime transport, contributing about 35 percent to the state’s GDP. To unlock this potential, infrastructure development, effective governance, sustainable practices, and stakeholder engagement are crucial.”
“We believe that to achieve this, there are necessary steps the state needs to take to align with the vision and goals of the federal administration for creating this ministry at this time, hence the choice of the theme for this year’s Correspondents’ Week,” Okonkwo said.
Also speaking, the President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), Chinyere Nwoga, expressed appreciation for the strong relationship between the chamber and journalists in Rivers State.
Nwoga said: “We are happy and proud of the solid and harmonious relationship we have with the media and journalists.
“The Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce has enjoyed a lot of goodwill from journalists. Journalists, generally, are multi-functional, holding public officers accountable, ensuring transparency, shaping the voice of the populace, and ensuring that important issues are brought up for discourse. Journalists also provide a platform for the public to be heard.
“We rely on the media to get a balanced account of what is happening. We also know of your unbiased assessment of issues.
“We expect journalists to be fair and conveyors of truth and justice. We are not unaware of the challenges you face in trying to do your job.”
The PHCCIMA President continued: “We, as a chamber, share some tenets with you. We ensure transparency, accountability, and strict adherence to best global practices. The mission of the chamber is to remain a voice for the business community and to support businesses and startups through business support and member-to-member patronage.”
For his part, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state, Paul Bazia, in a goodwill message, lauded the Correspondents’ Chapel for addressing the issue of the blue economy, which is part of the development communication plan of the new leadership of the union.
Bazia said: “A few months ago, when we were searching for new leadership for NUJ, we promised that in the next three years, the union would be setting the agenda for development communication.
“The Correspondents’ Chapel has come up with what partly describes what we are looking towards. We are setting the agenda for economic diversification.”
