Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike says poor implementation of laudable policies and programmes is the bane of Nigeria’s development.
Governor Wike stated this while playing host to Course Participants of Senior Executive Course 43, 2021, from the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru at the Government House in Port Harcourt, on Monday 31st may, 2021.Represented by his Deputy, Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Governor Wike said there has been a lot of policy summersaults, and lack of continuity of genuine development plans which would have ensured our national development over the last 60yrs of our existence as a nation.
According to the State Chief Executive who said leadership and commitment is the hallmark of his administration, stressed that due process, committed leadership and engagement of the populace are strategies he employs for good Governance.
“To start with, the Government delivers on its campaign promises, that is at the heart of what we do as a Government. All the promises at our campaigns we ensure we deliver them, and the people know and they acknowledge this, we also have ensured that all the people oriented projects by our predecessor are completed as long as it will serve the interest of our people, our projects are always carefully thought through and they are set for maximum impact”. Governor Wike stressed.
While stressing the importance of security to good Governance, Governor Wike said “security is important to our Government ,as we ensure peaceful coexistence for all persons living and doing business in Rivers State, there is an enabling environment to see that the people can go around their business without any fear, we have been supporting security agencies with logistics and other tools that are needed to ensure that there is a secured and peaceful environment in Rivers State, of course food security is extremely important, of recent we have commissioned the Rivers State, cassava processing plant ,that plant is going to empower so many farmers across the State and even outside the State, the plant is key to reserving the foreign exchange of Nigeria, the plant is running now, and it will give employment to over 3000 people, and it is going to ensure that we have food security, because all the other adjourning processes that has to go with it, are going to be enhanced”.
He further disclosed that his Administration has a very robust educational policy, adding that new campuses of the State University have been established outside the State Capital.
“The point about these campuses is that they are at the grassroots and not in the urban areas, again, it is going to create a focus for these communities to grow and develop by becoming satellite campuses for the Rivers State University, and it cuts across the three senatorial districts. It is meant to reduce the rural urban drift and to engage our youths further in education”. He quipped.
Governor Wike who also disclosed that his Administration places a high premium on the provision of quality healthcare delivery for the citizenry said a cardiovascular and cancer treatment centre would soon come on stream.
The Governor who expressed the State Government’s willingness to continue to partner with the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies said the theme for this study “getting things done, strategies for policy and programmes implementation in Nigeria” was tantamount to good Government and overall security and stability of the nation.
In his remarks the acting Director General of National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Brig Gen. Chuckwuemeka Udaya, who spoke through Prof. Fatai Aremu said for more than four decades the Institute had served as the premium think tank of the nation, adding that it has produced researches that are practical credible and compelling to inform decision making at the highest level in Nigeria.
He said Rivers State was chosen because of its outstanding track record in policy and programme implementation and project execution.
“Our preliminary study shows that Rivers State has been outstanding in terms of implementing programmes and policies in health, education, and infrastructure provision amongst others. So it was thought that Rivers State should be a natural choice for participants to study and learn those mechanisms and approaches that the State adopted to enable it to overcome those traditional barriers to implementation of policies and programmes”. He stressed.
