Rivers Information Ministry Pledges Support For Export Promotion Committee

The Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo, has pledged the ministry’s support for the State Committee on Export Promotion (SCEP) to enhance public awareness of local products, expand export opportunities and stimulate economic growth.
Sirawoo gave the assurance on Monday, October 12, 2026, when a delegation of SCEP and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) paid a courtesy visit to the ministry in Port Harcourt to seek collaboration, particularly in media engagement and public enlightenment.
Welcoming the delegation, the Permanent Secretary commended the committee for recognising its communication challenges and seeking practical solutions, assuring it of the ministry’s readiness to support initiatives that would contribute to the development of Rivers State.
“We are available to partner with you. And we also have a governor and government that are willing to partner with any organisation that will add value to our state,” he said.
Sirawoo emphasised the importance of strategic communication in advancing development initiatives, noting that effective publicity would help showcase Rivers State’s economic potential and attract wider markets for its locally produced goods.
He identified tourism, natural resources, human capacity and local products as areas with significant potential to drive economic growth if adequately promoted.
According to him, the ministry is committed to supporting programmes that will benefit the state and its residents, stressing that the success of the committee would also contribute to the overall development of Rivers State.
“We believe that if you achieve it, it will not just be good for you, but it will be good for all of us, particularly us that are going to help you drive it,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary also disclosed that the ministry had nominated a desk officer to facilitate communication and ensure a sustained working relationship with the committee.
Speaking on behalf of the NEPC Regional Coordinator, Mrs Ngozi Ibe, Mrs Ikuroye Chinelo Olga explained that the council was responsible for promoting non-oil exports, a mandate that aligns with the objectives of SCEP.
She said collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Communications would enable the committee to reach a wider audience, increase public awareness of its activities and promote export opportunities across Rivers State.
“For us to reach out to the masses, for us to be visible, we need to work and collaborate with the Ministry of Information and Communication,” she said, expressing the delegation’s desire for a lasting partnership with the ministry.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Oil Palm Growers Association, Mr Erasmus Chukunda, said SCEP was established in Port Harcourt in 2016 but had faced difficulties in effectively communicating its achievements to the public.
He explained that the committee was established to identify products produced in Rivers State, support local producers in preparing their goods for export and work with NEPC to connect them with broader domestic and international markets.
Chukunda stressed the need to extend export promotion initiatives to rural communities, noting that such efforts would help residents recognise the commercial value of their agricultural produce and other locally available resources.
According to him, improving access to export opportunities could strengthen rural economies, stimulate industrial activities and create employment opportunities for residents.
“If that is achieved, it will increase the rural economy. It will also discourage rural-urban migration because at that point, there will be a lot of industrial activities going on in the rural areas,” he said.
He called on the Rivers State Government to provide greater support for the committee to implement its programmes and improve the visibility of its activities across the state.
Chukunda expressed optimism that stronger collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Communications would help showcase the state’s economic potential, connect local producers with export markets and encourage entrepreneurship.
The engagement is expected to strengthen cooperation among the ministry, SCEP and NEPC in promoting locally produced goods, increasing awareness of non-oil export opportunities and supporting employment generation and sustainable economic development in Rivers State.