RSG, UK Resolve To Strengthen Partnership

The Rivers State
Government and the Government of the United Kingdom have resolved to strengthen their partnership   with a view to enhancing development.
The two governments reached the agreement last Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt when the Director of the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) in charge of West and Southern Africa, Mr Keith McGigan held discussions with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
Governor Wike stated that the state government would want to strengthen its partnership with the Government of the United Kingdom in the area of security, technical education and agriculture.
He said though the state government working with security agencies had improved security, the government was interested in collaborating with the United Kingdom to deploy technology to fight kidnapping and enhance intelligence gathering.
“Though we have some security challenges, we have worked with security agencies to stabilise the state and create the right atmosphere for investments.  However, we want to partner  with  the United Kingdom  to further improve  security,  especially in  the  areas of the acquisition of equipment for crime fighting  and intelligence gathering.
“Without security, governance and security will be negatively affected “.
He also called for collaboration  with  the United Kingdom in the area of technical education,  where he stated that the state government  would develop  a  programme  where technical  education  teachers would be trained in Britain for the purpose  of  equipping  them with practical  knowledge on how to impact knowledge on their students for vocational  skills acquisition.
He said that his administration was interested in job creation through vocational education, hence the need to revive the sector.
Governor Wike announced that the state government would create easy access to land for British investors who were willing to invest in agriculture.
He urged the United Kingdom to improve on its relationship with its former colonies like the French Government had done over the years.
Earlier, the Director of the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) in charge of West and Southern Africa, Mr Keith McGigan said the United Kingdom was interested in developing functional development-oriented relationship with the Rivers State Government.
He said that the United Kingdom had a strong relationship with the Federal Government which it had resolved to extend to the states.
“We want to build a strong relationship with the Rivers State Government.  I am here to discuss how we can foster development”, he said.