Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has asked the Nigerian Army to desist from getting involved in election rigging.
Wike who spoke during a Courtesy Visit by participants of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 41 2019 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru to the Government House Port Harcourt on Monday stated that the country would have made greater progress in terms of development if the Federal Government had been implementing the reports of the participants of the National Institute, Kuru.
Governor Wike stated that the implementation of study reports of National Institute would help Governments at all levels address key developmental challenges.
According to him: “What has happened to past reports of the National Institute? Gradually, this has become a National Ritual.
“If people sit down, conduct researches and write reports based on the researches, what is the government doing with the reports? If we make use of the reports, probably, we may not be where we are today”.
Wike called on the Nigerian Army to restrict themselves to their constitutional responsibilities of securing the country.
“In those days when people hear about the Nigerian Army, they fear and view them with respect. Today, the fear is gone. Instead of improving security, they are only interested in politics.
“They leave their primary responsibility. You can see the level of insecurity in the country. There is no State that is free from insecurity “.
He urged the National Institute to formally notify the Federal Government on the need to implement reports, as the country would be better for it.
On the theme of the study tour, Governor Wike noted that his administration places premium on the funding of healthcare delivery. He said health and education are competing for budgetary allocation in the state.
He, however, pointed out that the State Government has financial challenges which affect funding of healthcare delivery. The Governor said that his administration has performed creditably in healthcare delivery, despite the constraints.
In his remarks, Director of Research, National Institute and Leader of Delegation, Prof Habu Galadima said that the Senior Course 41 is focusing on Funding Universal Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria.
He said that the study tour will examine issues and challenges facing the funding of healthcare delivery in Rivers State.
Prof Galadima said that Rivers State is one of the hubs of healthcare delivery country, hence it was selected as one of the states for research.
“The participants will be studying the funding of universal healthcare delivery in Rivers State. Rivers State is an important case study, especially that it is known that Rivers State wants to be the hub of healthcare delivery in Nigeria “, he said.
