The Rivers State Government and the Government of the United Kingdom have resolved to strengthen their partnership with a view to enhancing development.
The two governments reached the agreement on Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt when the Director of the United Kingdom Department For International Development (DFID) in charge of West and Southern Africa, Mr Keith McGigan held discussions with Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
Governor Wike stated that the state government wants to strengthen its partnership with the Government of the United Kingdom in the area of security, technical education and agriculture.
He said though the state government working with security agencies has improved security, the government is interested in collaborating with the United Kingdom to deploy technology to fight kidnapping and enhance intelligence gathering.
"Though we have some security challenges, we have worked with security agencies to stabilise the state and create the right atmosphere for investments. However, we want to partner with the United Kingdom to further improve security, especially in the areas of the acquisition of equipment for crime fighting and intelligence gathering.
"Without security, governance and security will be negatively affected ".
He also called for collaboration with the United Kingdom in the area of technical education, where he stated that the state government will develop a programme where technical education teachers will be trained in Britain for the purpose of equipping them with practical knowledge on how to impact knowledge on their students for vocational skills acquisition.
He said that his administration is interested in job creation through vocational education, hence the need to revive the sector.
Governor Wike announced that the state government government will create easy access to land for British Investors who are willing to invest in agriculture.
He urged the United Kingdom to improve on its relationship with its former colonies like the French Government has done over the years.
Earlier, the Director of the United Kingdom Department For International Development (DFID) in charge of West and Southern Africa, Mr Keith McGigan said the United Kingdom is interested in developing functional development oriented relationship with the Rivers State Government.
He said that the United Kingdom has a strong relationship with the Federal Government which it has resolved to extend to the states.
"We want to build a strong relationship with the Rivers State Government. I am here to discuss how we can foster development", he said.
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