Wike releases $1m for 28 overseas students

From Tony John,  Port Harcourt

Rivers State Government has won the rights as host simulation of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for Africa

The state government said the choice of Port Harcourt, the state capital, as the host simulation of the United Nations General Assembly for Africa, is a welcome development.

TheUNGA for Africa simulation is a mock assembly where future diplomats in Africa are fished out early in life and “the choice of Port Harcourt for the 2018 edition is significant as the Garden City will now join Lagos as the only two African cities to host the simulation debate, the origin of which began  in 1974, in New York, United States of America.   The African simulation is organised by Future Trust Initiative (FTI).”

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Commissioner for Information, Emma Okah, said “the Nyesom Wike administration in Rivers state is showing visionary and responsible leadership. Her huge investment in security and development of infrastructure, especially road construction, hospitals, schools, etc and provision of social services is yielding the right result and attracting local and international attention.

This endorsement, coming at the heels of the BudgIT Nigeria Report 2017, which placed Rivers as the most fiscally responsible state in Nigeria, is self-evident that the state has laid the foundation for investment and tourism” he said.

“We urge Rivers youths to take advantage of this rare opportunity and register in the competition as Rivers state government will support any of them who wins, to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, for the main event,” he added.

Meanwhile, the governor has announced the release of $1 million for 28 final  year Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) overseas students.

He also dispelled rumours that the state government has abandoned the students abroad and that  his administration places priority on their education.

Wike, who spoke through his Commissioner for Finance,  Dr.  Fred Kpakol, disclosed that although his administration was not responsible for the admissions of the 28 final year students in overseas universities, he found it necessary to take the education sector very seriously.

“We came and incurred a lot of debts because the previous government,  even while it took the students to foreign universities,  could not pay their fees.  And most of the students became very frustrated.  And as students of Rivers state,  since the government is giving service to all and sundry,  the governor felt it was necessary to look into their plight and foster a solution to that.”

The governor noted that most of the students studying abroad could naturally study in Nigeria because some of the courses they were studying abroad are available in Nigerian universities.

“Within the first month,  as we came in on May 29, 2015,  on June 10,  the governor released N200 million to the RSSDA, to pay for overseas scholarships On September 29, 2016,  the governor released N485, 289,000.00, for part of their tuition fees. After he did that,  he considered it was necessary to do an audit, to know the students and how they were meeting up.

“Now,  the governor has graciously released the sum of $1 million to pay to nine universities for 28 RSSDA final year overseas scholarships beneficiaries for payment of their outstanding tuition fees. This was done in the midst of biting economy and down trend in the economy of the country”, the commissioner said.

In another development,  the state government has said the choice of Port Harcourt, as the host of the simulation of the United Nations General Assembly for Africa, was a welcome development.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications,  Emma Okah,  said yesterday, that the UN General Assembly for Africa simulation, organised by Future Trust Initiative (FTI) was a mock Assembly, where future diplomats in Africa were fished out early in life.

According to him, the choice of Port Harcourt for the 2018 edition, was significant as Port Harcourt would join Lagos to be the only two African cities to host the simulation debate.

He said the latest development has shown that the  Wike-led government has transformed the State for good and added that Port Harcourt was gradually occupying its rightful position in the comity of states in Nigeria.

“The Nyesom Wike administration in Rivers State is showing visionary and responsible leadership. Her huge investment in security and development of infrastructure, especially road construction, hospitals, schools, and others, and provision of social services, is yielding the right result and attracting local and international attention.

“This endorsement coming at the heels of the BudgIT Nigeria Report 2017, which placed Rivers as the most fiscally responsible State in Nigeria, is self evident that Rivers State has laid the foundation for investment and tourism.

“We urge Rivers youths to take advantage of this rare opportunity and register for the competition as Rivers State Government will support any of them who wins to the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the main event”, he added.