Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, DSSRS is a humane and God-fearing leader and mentor who has a burning desire to lift young people out of poverty and misery.
 With a rare combination of beauty and brains, her milk of human kindness which is non-discriminatory has given succour to lots of people across the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State, in the form of mentorship, scholarships to indigent students, funding of Start-ups for young people in ICT, mentoring of girls in Science, Mathematics and Technology, the list is endless.
However, in consonance with the adage that says charity begins at home, the Deputy Governor, has written her name in gold, in the three Kalabari speaking Local Government Areas, of Asari Toru, Akuku Toru and the mother Local Government Area, Degema, through the establishment of  a Cottage Industry at the Degema Consulate.
 It would be recalled that Dr. Banigo had earlier brought back Banking Operations in Degema which a lot of people thought was impossible in the past. This singular feat greatly improved commercial activities in the area to the delight of the citizenry.
She also facilitated the establishment of an Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force which has helped to improve the protection of lives and property in the Kalabari and the Emohua axis of the State.
This Jewel of the Niger Delta who says she adopted Skills Acquisition Programme as a deliberate strategy to keep the youths gainfully engaged and reduce social vices in the society, fully funded a one month special skills acquisition programme in January, 2020 where over three thousand five hundred youths (3,500) drawn from the old Degema Local Government Area benefitted in collaboration with Redemption Ministries who added a Christian religious component to the training. At the end of the programme youths did not only acquire skills but were led to Christ .
 According to Dr. Banigo, beneficiaries of the programme are expected to be self-reliant with intent to contribute meaningfully to the micro- economy of their respective Local Government Areas and the State at large.
As a follow up, another set of trainees made up of one thousand one hundred and sixty youths (1, 160) also benefitted in collaboration with Region 5 of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.
She empowered beneficiaries with starter packs to enable them set up their businesses, she also encouraged them to set up co-operative societies to enable them access loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Bank of Industry, etc, to boost their businesses which she facilitated and signed as their guarantor.   A good number of them have succeeded in carving a niche for themselves in their chosen skills set.
Mr Adokiye Omuaru a Master’s Degree holder who hitherto had no job was a beneficiary of the Deputy Governor’s free skills acquisition programme. He acquired shoe making skills and has since set up his own factory and is now an employer of labour.
Encouraged by Mr. Omuaru’s enthusiasm and commitment to expand his business, the Deputy Governor provided the funds to procure a generator set, various industrial machines, original leather and other shoe making accessories  to enable him operate on a commercial scale.
 Mr. Eze Abinami Sunday is a diligent and hardworking young man, who is determined to carve a nitche for himself in ICT but did not have the resources to fund his training. However, the Free Skills Acquisition Programme of Dr. (Mrs.) Banigo provided the rare privilege for him to get trained at no cost to him, and today, he has started earning a living from the skills and is also a trainer of other young people like him.
Miss Rasidu Tamunotomba Fakorede, hails from Bille in Degema Local Government Area. Prior to her admission into the Skills Acquisition Programme she had no skills and was jobless. However, she had a life line and succour when she enrolled into Her Excellency’s Skills Acquisition Programme. She ventured into tailoring and things have now turned around for good in her life.
As part of deliberate efforts to ensure that the youths continue to acquire skills to be self-reliant, the Harvard trained Public Health Physician, (Dr.  Mrs.) Harry Banigo has set up a cottage industry in boat building and shoe making in Degema.
For continuity and sustainability, the Deputy Governor has committed huge financial resources to completely rehabilitate and upgrade facilities in the Degema Local Government Council to accommodate the Cottage Industry.
The complete makeover of the structures by the Deputy Governor with her personal resources underscores the importance she attaches to the project which is now a legacy project for posterity.
This human capital development project would no doubt lift thousands of people out of poverty that would ultimately outlive the tenure of Her Excellency, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo.
The Cottage Industry commenced operations on the 3rd of June, 2021. So far, a total of one hundred and twenty trainees have registered and are undergoing training. Seventy five of these trainees are for shoe making while forty five registered for boat building in the intensive programme which holds from 9am to 4 pm each day with theoretical and practical sessions.
The Deputy Governor is indeed a trail blazer when it comes to helping young people to succeed in life; she had always said her passion is to lift up young people from poverty. This she has continued to do whenever the need arises.
At a meeting with the Acting Regional Manager of the Bank of Industry (BOI) Mr. Pacqueens Irabor in Port Harcourt, on Friday 23rd October, 2020  Dr. Banigo said “we must lift up our young people and young adults out of poverty, financial, physical, spiritual and mental poverty. We want to give them the mind-set that they can do it”.
Dr. Banigo who is the Chairman of the Ease of Doing Business Council opined that a country that is not able to manufacture what they are using can never really develop which, according to her, is the bane of the nation.
She vowed to continue to encourage youths to be creative, using what the Almighty God has deposited in them, adding that the setting up of the Cottage Industry would engender the spirit of self-reliance in our youths.
“ It is not all about Government work and politics, they have so much that God has put in them that they can use for themselves and others, to be a blessing to their community and to be a blessing to others.” Dr. Banigo quipped.
Just like the Chinese proverb which says “teach a man how to eat fish he will eat but once, you teach a man how to catch a fish, he will eat for ever”, Her Excellency, the Deputy Governor, has taught the youths how to catch a fish, through the setting up of the cottage industry in boat building and shoe making in Degema. Of course this is apt because the people in the area are predominantly fisher men who also harvest sea food like periwinkles, oysters, clam, crabs etc, which makes the boats in very high demand as a critical asset.  
The shoe making industry is also viable with a ready market as the people of the area are very fashionable with a rich cultural heritage which makes a high demand for quality shoes.
Dr. Banigo has done her part, it behoves on the youths to take advantage of this unique opportunity to better their lives. The ball is in their court.      
Benebo is the Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State.

By: Owupele Benebo