The Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) said yesterday, that the lingering twin problems of youth restiveness and hostage-taking in Niger Delta was affecting the image of the nation.
As a developing nation, the multinational corporation said, there was a compelling need to create a conducive environment for industries to thrive in order to generate good jobs as well as project a positive image of the nation before the international community.
Speaking at a parley with newsmen at the Grand Hotel and Resort Center in Asaba, the organisation’s manager, government relations, Mr Charles Akeni said Nigeria was viewed abroad as the second least investor-friendly nation after Iraq on account of the crisis in the region.
“All that is happening in Port Harcourt is bad news to us. SPDC has not been producing for over a year especially in Warri area. It is not only us, others are involved. The kind of image we have created in the Niger Delta is akin to the image of Iraq. Investment analysts see Iraq as the least investor-friendly country after which Nigeria comes next,” he said.
He therefore urged media practitioners to embrace the practice of developmental journalism as against the trend that potray the country in bad light. “The media has a role to play in a developing nation. We have to give our nation a positive image. The media is the only organ that labels a society, we need to label the country positively,” he said.
He added that “we need to apply developmental journalism. This will encourage investment and create jobs in the Niger Delta.”
Mar32007