The wife of the Rivers State Governor, Justice Suzzette Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, has stated that the Rivers State Government will continue to create an investor friendly environment for the sustained development of the state.
Justice Nyesom-Wike further said that the state will legislate on policies that will encompass stable marco-economic situation as well as ensure security of lives and property in the state.
Delivering a keynote address titled: “Sustaining Youths Engagement and Development”, at a one-day LEAD Summit organized by the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) in conjunction with Heritage Bank Limited in Port Harcourt, Justice Nyesom-Wike said she has the passion for the empowerment of youth.
The wife of the governor, who noted that the benefit of engaging youth for entrepreneurship cannot be overemphasized, stated that the task of engaging the youths in entrepreneurial development is not only for the state government alone.
She called for the collaboration of all stakeholders in the state to enhance the empowerment of youth.
She observed that entrepreneurship was essential for rapid and sustained growth and development as it creates the required manpower and skills needed for accelerated growth as well as addresses security and societal violence.
Justice Suzzette Eberechi Wike emphasized that the efforts of the state government has reduced the level of crime and kidnapping in the state as part of efforts to woo investors.
“Young entrepreneurs have led and will continue to lead economic revolution which repeatedly improves the standard of living everywhere. When young people are fully engaged as entrepreneurs, they crystallize economic development by increasing gross domestic product, national income help improve the standard of living of citizens of the country,” she noted.
“The state government under my husband’s focused and able leadership continues to create an investor friendly environment and legislate on policies that will encompass stable marco-economic situation as well as ensure security and protection of lives and property in the state,” Justice Suzzette Eberechi Wike said.
While noting that the existence of small scale businesses in the state will provide job and employment to many citizens as evident in Colombia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia where small scale enterprise employ more than 50 per cent of the workforce, Justice Suzzette Eberechi Wike, stressed the hope that the summit will provide support for participants in order to engage youths appropriately for economic revamp and nation building.
“It is my hope that the summit will continue to provide support for participants in order to engage the youths for economic revolution and nation building,” she said.
She commended Heritage Bank Limited for sponsoring the programme
In his remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Onueze Okocha, SAN, described the theme of the summit: “Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Development” as apt, saying the summit was critical to the state and nation in view of the present realities of the economy.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Second Opportunity Africa, Mrs. Linda Somiari-Stewart said the essence of the summit initiated nine years ago, was aimed at opening the eyes of youth to the opportunities that abound, especially with the dwindling nature of the nation’s economy.
She lauded the wife of the governor and the deputy governor for their support in nurturing the programme to maturity.
Earlier, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency, Mr. Lawrence Pepple, had thanked Heritage Bank Limited for sponsoring the programme and collaborating with the agency to provide the necessary support geared towards securing a single digit loan for youth of the state.