The Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has urged young people in the state to be creative and be the best they could be in their endeavours.
Banigo stated this while speaking at a book launch titled, “Sharpening Your Edge”, written by Mr. Daniel Tomoni Solomon of the Government House Press in Port Harcourt.
The deputy governor said the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration was always willing to encourage and engage youth in positive ventures.
“When youths engage in positive activities it gives us joy that is why we love to encourage them”, she stressed.
According to the deputy governor, “We want our young ones to be creative in the arts, in ICT, excel in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics so they can fulfil their God-given destinies”.
She said the state government would continue to provide good quality schools for our children of school age and provide vocational skills for those who will benefit from it, while challenging them not to wait for hand outs from people but believe in themselves and stand up to be counted as successful people.
Banigo also disclosed that government would provide social investments for the unemployed and vulnerable youth because government believed in the potentials of the Rivers youth.
The deputy governor, who expressed interest in making the book, “Sharpening Your Edge” available to libraries of secondary schools in the state, bought and donated 100 copies of the book to be distributed amongst secondary schools.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Transport, Chief Ibibia Walter said as part of the New Rivers Vision the author and other creative youth like him needed to be encouraged, and promised to write off the production cost of the book.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Sir Mike Elechi, who commended Daniel Solomon for packaging such a good literary work, said the author needs the support of elders to encourage him to do more, and called on other youth to emulate him.