Mr Erastus Awortu, Chairman, Andoni local government area of Rivers has expressed optimism to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as he canvassed for investors at the 2021 Andoni Unity Carnival.
Awortu disclosed this at the grand finale of the Andoni Peace and Unity Carnival on Friday in Ngo town, headquarters of the council.
According to him, the council decided to organize the carnival to further showcase the untapped tourism resources in the area.
“This is the reason we invited the media and some of our friends who are not residents in the area as well as tourists to come and discover possible areas of business interests.
“We understand the role of investors bearing in mind what we stand to benefit as a council from such partnership,” he said.
Awortu also noted that the mandate from the people was an opportunity to administer good governance to the area council.
“The Carnival parade represented the climax of a list of activities for the 2021 Peace and Unity Carnival of the council, the main essence is to expose our untapped business properties to potential investors.
“This will go a long way to support infrastructure development, create employment and boost internal revenue for the council.
“Today, we have the opportunity of showcasing our rich cultural heritage via play and costumes.
“Andoni people were popular warlords in the region and we are happy to reminisce on this history via colourful display and ceremonial parade,” he added.
In a related development, Mr Dagomie Abiante, lawmaker representing Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency, said that the federal government on its part has made some intervention to better the lives of his constituents.
“As a lawmaker I can attest to the fact that the federal government has intervened in the areas of healthcare, water supply, education, and skill acquisition.
“Recently, the federal government in one of its interventions put together a mini-skills centre that will train our people in fashion designing, welding, phone and computer repairs, catering and ICT,” he added .
The lawmaker explained that Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency has 3 ICT centres within the period under his representation.
“We have a constituency ICT centre in Opobo and Ngo town with an ICT laboratory that houses about 40 computers and a constituency secondary school in Opobo area council.
“It’s our desire to establish a federal college of fisheries , a primary desire we look forward to achieving very soon.
Abiante also stated that his office is pushing for the establishment of a research institute in the area of fisheries.
“We may not have gotten a fully functional research institute but I’m happy to announce to us that on Dec. 28, 2021, we received federal approval for the establishment of an outstation of the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research.
“We look forward to a smooth take-off of the institute this year (2022), we have also gotten an approval for the establishment of a Police area command for our constituency,” the lawmaker said.