9th September, 2015
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has agreed to partner with the government of Great Britain on security, agriculture and education.
The Governor reached this agreement in Government House, Port Harcourt, when he received the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Ray Kyles on a courtesy visit.
Governor Wike who acknowledged that Britain has a lot of investments in Nigeria, especially in Rivers State, remarked that Rivers State is the oil and gas hub of Nigeria.
He admitted that security had been a major challenge that badly affected the business climate of the state, but was effectively tackled by his administration through legislative means and supporting security agencies with logistic equipment.
The Governor explained that a law has been enacted to seize or destroy the assets (ill-gotten money and property) of kidnappers and their accomplices if convicted.
The Governor said he is partnering with Britain on security because he believes Britain has the expertise to reduce the security challenges to the barest minimum or eliminate it completely.
He said the state government will support investors on large scale commercial agriculture because Rivers State has great potentials-irrespective of the dwindling oil revenue.
He further explained that government will provide titled lands and an enabling environment to enhance job opportunities and generate revenue for the government to carry out other infrastructural development in the state.
Governor Wike also told the British envoy that the government will partner with Britain to invest in Liquefied Gas because the state has a lot of untapped potentials, reminding him that the Nigerian Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG) Company has his headquarters in the state.
As regards education, the Governor remarked that there is currently a lot of collaboration in that area, but training and retraining programmes were required for secondary school teachers since it is already about to embark on the rehabilitation of secondary schools in the state.
He maintained that this intervention will boost the quality of teachers in Rivers State.
Speaking earlier, Mr Ray Kyles thanked Governor Wike for receiving him, stating that Rivers State represents the future of Nigeria’s economy.