Austin Tam-George who resigned from the administration of Rivers state Governor Nyesom Wike has expressed disappointment at the Governor’s action of revoking the Certificate of Occupancy of one of the few three star hotels in Port Harcourt Novotel.
Governor Wike while speaking at a church programme in Port Harcourt announced the revocation of the C of O of the hotel for allegedly using their property for, “electoral malpractice.”
The Governor has since come under fire for taking that action.
Meanwhile, the former Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, Tam-George said Governor Wike’s decision is mean and “hostile.”
Tam-George in an elaborate post on his Facebook page said, “The revocation of the certificate of occupancy of Novotel Hotel in Port Harcourt over the weekend by Governor Nyesom Wike disappoints and saddens me.
“If a business premises is suspected or established to be a crime scene, the police, acting on a court order, could move in to take control.
“It is extraordinary for a State government to revoke the certificate of occupancy of a business, simply because opposition politicians lodged there.
“Politicians in the state might think this is part of politics.
“But it is a hostile signal to the business and investment community that Rivers State is a toxic environment, and that a 99-year land lease could be withdrawn impulsively at any minute, by the governor.
“As Commissioner for Information in Rivers State, i held 41 media events, including world press conferences and television appearances, to make the case for the state as Nigeria’s best investment destination.
“Even now, the Wike administration is running an expensive advertorial on CNN, inviting foreign direct investment into Rivers State.
“The whimsical attack on Novotel feeds the noxious narrative that Rivers State is a risky place to invest. It is a direct kick in the face of the administration’s own efforts to attract investors to the state, in order to create jobs.
“As governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi made similar wrong-headed and extreme decisions.
“I urge governor Wike to avoid taking the same intemperate path, in the interest of the State.”
