The Rivers State Government has assured of its readiness to partner with the church in tackling basic developmental challenges in the state.
Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi gave the assurance yesterday when the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Niger Delta, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey led other Bishops of the Niger Delta Diocese to pay him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Governor Amaechi said the state government would assist the church in carrying out its responsibilities, especially by way of value re-orientation of her citizens and pleaded with the religious leaders to appreciate the efforts of the government towards enthroning a peaceful environment by using their churches to preach against such ills in society.
He explained that that state government was forced by prevailing security situation to take some difficult decisions noting that the decisions, were taken in the overall interest of Rivers people.
The state chief executive said he was touched by the inability of the state, created in 1967, to provide water, electricity, good education amongst others for her residents, while lauding the Anglican and the Catholic Churches partnering in the task of improving the standard of education in the state.
He said the state government has concluded arrangement for the acquisition of over 10 million text books for the schools and promised that more teachers would be recruited while those already engaged would be retrained for efficiency.
The governor, however, noted that the greatest challenge confronting the realisation of some of laudable projects of the state government is the security threat to contractors and warned that government would descend heavily on those obstructing work at the various sites.
Earlier, the Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger Delta, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey said the purpose of the visit was to inform the Governor of the Reconstitution and Proclamation of the new Ecclesiastical Province of Niger Delta of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion and the election of a new Archbishop.
Archbishop Kattey, who is also the Bishop of Niger Delta North Diocese, said the Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger Delta comprises of Anglican Dioceses in Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross River States, stressing that the church is prepared to partner with government to preach care in order to reduce youth restiveness in the area.
He lauded Governor Amaechi for embarking on infrastructural development that has placed Rivers State on the fast lane of development and assured him of the church support.