By Francis Sadhere, Warri

Warri South Council Chairman, Hon Michael Tidi on Wednesday said that the upcoming Warri economic Summit, coming up on the 17th and 18th of May, will help boost Nigeria’s economy.

The Warri South Council boss who said this during a press briefing with newsman held at the council secretariat, Warri, Delta state, noted that it was high time Warri regained her pride of place as a business hub in Nigeria and West Africa.

He said the council area is opening her arms to businesses in and around Warri that was why it’s partnering with the Warri Economic Summit Group to initiate the first ever Warri Economic Summit because it has discovered that there are a lot of potentials in Warri South Council area.

Tidi said when he resumed office as the council  chairman in January 2018, he realized that the first thing to do was to improve business in Warri, adding that Warri has a sea port, Nigeria Gas Company, Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, several oil and gas servicing firms and a lots of other businesses that can employ the youths in the area.

According to Tidi, the objective of the summit is to identify and articulate issues militating against the developmental aspirations of the oil city, Warri, tailor government policies to suit the need of commerce and industry, draw National and international attention to the economic and security challenges attendant on the non-dredging the approaches to the Warri Seaports.

He said, “What matters is not what has left Warri, that is why God never asked Moses what have you lost, but what is in your hands. With this awareness we are determined to cross our red sea and reach our promised land.”

Another goal of the Summit, according to Tidi, is to provide employment for the teeming unemployed youths, appealing to the youths to cooperate with both government and private business owners so as to put Warri back on the map as a business destination.

He noted that the summit will identify few sectors where Warri can be number one or two in terms of business in the country within the next three years, and also to identify what can be done to revive maritime trade in Warri within the next six months.

Tidi added that government is going to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, saying that government is also going to provide a lot of incentives to attract investors.

He commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State for placing premium in farming and skills acquisition which has resulted to the increase in the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), adding that Delta State is thinking beyond oil.

He also lauded the Federal Government for agreeing to dredge the Warri river saying that the dredging of the river will have multiplying effect on the lives of residents living in the state.

Meanwhile, Hon. Michael Tidi has inaugurated the Warri South Local Government Committee against ilicit drugs and adulterated liquor as well as the Warri South Local Government Committee on peaceful co-existence and Herdsmen/Farmers.

While Hon. Tidi will serve as the chairman of the committee on peaceful co-existence and Herdsmen /Farmers, Deacon Shola Mese heads the committee against illicit drugs and adulterated liquor.