World Bank to Assist Rivers on Development

The World Bank has offered to assist Rivers State in engendering development in all its sectors. This is as a result of the achievements recorded in the state in two years.
Onno Ruhl, Country director of World Bank stated this recently night in an interview with pressmen shortly after a close door meeting with Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Ruhl, who expressed happiness that the Rivers State Government was prepared to conduct its affairs in the acceptable global standard, said in a few weeks time, a team of World Bank officials would arrive the state to strategize towards the take-off of the partnership.
“We came to discuss with the governor on how the World Bank could help the government of Rivers State to use its revenue to deliver better services for the people through setting up systems of governance, and focusing on service delivery in key sectors like Education, Healthcare and Infrastructure”, Ruhl said.
The World Bank Chief equally noted with satisfaction the approach of the state government in creating a Peaceful environment for investment, and expressed optimism that it was a positive step in the right direction.
He disclosed that the World Bank delegation agreed with the governor to start a joint analysis of government plans, by setting up systems that would identify areas they could finance in the short term to strengthen capacity of the government.
Ruhl said his organization intends to identify particular sectors and finance specific activity that would provide service delivery to the ordinary people of Rivers State, such as schools and infrastructure, and commended the state government on its modest achievements in the health and education sectors.
He said it would be too early to talk about the amount to be spent in Rivers State, but noted that the underlying thing remains that other states in Nigeria have benefited and states in the Niger Delta need to key in, to enable the World Bank support their progress.