Governance Is About Developing The People - Wike

 Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has re-echoed the fact that his desire in Governance was about developing the people and giving them a good standard of living.

Governor Wike stated this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the World Bank NG-CARES Programme Support Implementation Mission for the South-South States at the Government House, in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, 9th March 2022.

Speaking through his Deputy, Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry   Banigo,  Governor Wike  said,  “This is another  strategy that will help us to do more,  for our people so we are committed to it and will ensure the project succeeds,  we are ready to run with the vision looking at the three areas you have highlighted the downtrodden, the vulnerable, people who have suffered so much from the Covid-19 and also looking at food security and  looking at enhancing our small enterprises to improve our business  climate.”

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo (Middle), with the State Commissioner of Finance, Hon. Isaac Kamalu (3rd Right), the Special Protection Specialist, World Bank, Nnenna Oshagbemi (2nd Right), and others during a Courtesy Visit by World Bank NG-CARES Programme Support Implementation Mission for the South-South States at the Government House, Port Harcourt on the 9th March 2022.

The Governor disclosed that at beginning of the Covid crises he made sure Rivers communities had enough food over the Lockdown.

“A scheme was provided where food was delivered to all the LGAs and it involved the CDC, Chairmen, religious leaders, traditional rulers, the women leaders, it was not a political thing, as it was meant for the vulnerable ones who were most impacted during the pandemic”. Governor Wike quipped.

While expressing his eagerness to lift the people out of poverty and mitigate the effect of the pandemic, he also talked about food security.

“The cassava processing factory was commissioned to improve the business climate in the State and of course, under our Ease of Doing Business Framework, and Policy we support our SMEs in other for them to maximally grow and encourage more investors to the State”. He further said.

In his response, the State Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Isaac Kamalu said the whole idea of the program was to care for the vulnerable, orphans, and the low-income bracket of the society.

He said the programme would help enhance the capacity of our people, especially the business sector with respect to the micro and small-scale enterprises, adding that it was the World Bank’s response to the devastating effect of Covid 19.

Also speaking, the Special Protection Specialist, World Bank, Nnenna Oshagbemi said they were in the State for mission support for Nigeria Covid 19, Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus, (NG –CARES).

She said, “It is a program for results that we are using to support States with what they are doing to recover from the effect of Covid-19, especially as it is related to the socio-economic effect of the crisis that happened, and Rivers State is part of the States that has become eligible to be part of this program.”