Wonderful, fruitful and receptive business environment is usually the dream of every investor.
Against this backdrop, journalists have been asked to ensure that their reportages create positive perception of Rivers State.
Real Estate success strategist and mayor of Housing My-Ace China gave the charge during the opening ceremony of Correspondents’ Chapel Week in Port Harcourt.
X-raying the power of perception, he disclosed that we live in the information age where perception has become a reality and even stronger than reality especially when sustained.
He also explained that in the information age the most popular narrative is believed against the truth because the perception is strong enough and in quantity large enough.
He called on the media to shun news that create negative perception and ensure that the ideal investment climate is created.
On his part, the keynote speaker, Dr Emi Membere-Otaji regretted that most contracts and payments are done in Lagos despite the fact that Rivers State is the capital of Oil and Gas because of negative perception by investors.
The National Deputy President of Nigeria Association of Chambers Commerce Minning and Industry (NACCIMA) who called for positive reportages described the adverse effects of negative reportages on Rivers State business climate as a big problem
The Chairman of the opening ceremony, Prof. B. B. Fakae asked journalists to be committed to the true tenets of Journalism adding that so many sectors including the judiciary has failed the society.
Represented by Dr Korsi Barale he recalled the role the media played in rebranding the Rivers State University when he was the Vice Chancellor and urged newsmen to continue as change agents of the society.
Earlier , the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr Amaechi Okonkwo informed that the choice of the week ‘s theme was in pursuant to one of the roles of journalists as agenda setters in the socio-political economic milieu.
He called for development journalism and the need to break only the news that will build the society while projecting more of the positive stories that will attract more investors into the state.
The theme for this year’s Correspondents’ Chapel Week is “Rivers State And Quest For Ideal Investment Climate: Role Of The Media “.
