I’ll Promote States’ Competitive Edge For Growth -Wike …Berates FG For Doing Nothing About Insecurity

Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has vowed to exploit the gains of comparative advantage that each state of the federation has to revive the nation’s economy.
Wike stated that such approach was also capable of creating jobs for the growing youth population on a sustained basis.
The governor gave the hint when he met with leaders and delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, last Monday, to solicit their votes and give him the presidential ticket during the party’s primary on May 28 and 29, 2022.
“We are importing everything in this country. We are not also exploiting our comparative advantage. What can Kaduna State really produce? What can Kano really produce? What can Gombe really produce?
“We need to ask to know in what areas they really have advantage. Such consideration is very important.”
Wike lamented that Kaduna and Kano States used to be places that manufacturing industry thrived, but lamented that all of those economic activities are gone.
The governor said his presidency would take steps to stem the tide of the free fall that the Naira continues to suffer.
“For example, if Kaduna can only produce rice, what we will do, will be to tell the governor of Kaduna State, and with the Federal Government agreeing, that we want it to be the hub of rice production in Nigeria.
“In that sense, it is not only to feed Nigerians but also to package for export. Therefore, we can say we need 40 hectares of land from the state government.
“The Federal Government will bring N40billion. It will be a special purpose fund. Government will not run it so that the venture doesn’t collapse.
“For example, if Rivers State can produce palm oil. We will say, give us 10,000 hectares of land where we will be planting palm oil seedlings. Federal Government will bring the money. It will not be given to the state, but it will be put in a special purpose fund. We will engage experts to operate it as a business venture. That is also to create a lot of jobs.”
Wike stated that the Anchor Borrower Scheme of the Federal Government steered by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was a total failure.
According to him, despite the N800billion that CBN claimed to have spent, foodstuffs remain very expensive.
The Rivers State governor, who reiterated his stance on the establishment of state police, said it was the best measure to adopt to solve the intractable insecurity across the country.
Wike said it was disheartening that President MuhammaduBuhari has not done anything tangible about it or visited the scene of the bomb blast in Kaduna.
“Look at it, the bomb blast that happened, up until now, I have not seen any serious thing that government at the federal level has done. President has not even made a statement, not to talk of visiting the scene of the incident.
“I want to say that one way to end this insecurity is to have state police. Don’t go political; saying it’s about the governors. I am a governor today, and I will soon leave office.
“Those who operate a federal system of government have a national police, state police and local police. It will engage people who are within the environment because they know it better to be able to give us intelligence.”
Speaking further, the governor assured that if PDP delegates voted for him during the party’s presidential primary, he was confident of committing his first six months in office to solve the problem of insecurity.
He said that the protection of lives and property was one basic thing that anybody in office should do first after taking oath of office.
According to him, any government that cannot protect lives and property has no business in government.
The governor announced the donation of N200million to support the victims of violence in Kaduna State.
In his remarks, former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, expressed profound appreciation to Wike for providing succour to victims of violence in Kaduna State.
“I did not anticipate the enormous gesture you announced for the displaced and those affected by violence and banditry in Kaduna,” Makarfi said.
“We are positively shocked by the huge donation you have given to the state to help the victims of banditry.
“We have not seen a single kobo from anybody in this direction. You gave this through the party because of the respect you have for the party. We are happy to be the facilitators. We really appreciate you.”
Makarfi, who was a former acting national chairman of the PDP, also commended Wike for ensuring that agents of the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not hijack and destroy the PDP.
He acknowledged the zest with which Wike has been pursuing his presidential aspiration by canvassing for the support of delegates.
He assured him that delegates are not oblivious of those who have steadfastly sustained the party.
“You are vigorously working for it. Of all the investment you have made, you are not sitting back at all to say because I did, A, B, C, D, this should come to me. Day and night, you are working, that shows commitment that shows genuine desire.”
Makarfisaid that if he had the power, he would make Wike, the president of Nigeria, adding that Wike’s contributions to the “survival” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during its trying moments were enough to earn him the party’s ticket.
According to Makarfi, many people contributed to the PDP in so many ways, “but there is no single individual who contributed as he (Wike) did for us to have the PDP that we have today.
“When the Court of Appeal judgement came out against us, and we knew we were right, everybody was running away,” Makarfi said.
“Then,Wike called me and asked me: ‘Are you ready for this fight?’ I said yes. He said: ‘We are going to reclaim our party; what do you need? How do we go about it? And the rest is history’.
“If it is appointment, and I have the power to appoint, I would simply just appoint you and you will go home and rest. But it is democracy; it is convention; the delegates know those who have been with them and will continue to be within them; the party people know.”