BE A BLESSING TO RIVERS STATE, RIVERS STATE DEPUTY GOVERNOR, BANIGO TELLS YOUTHS

The Deputy Governor of Rivers State Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Harry Banigo has called on Youths to be a blessing not only to themselves and their generation but a blessing to Rivers State.

The Deputy Governor Stated this during a special thanksgiving Service to flag-off 2017 Harvest and the commemoration of the 61^st Anniversary of the Anglican Youth Fellowship at St. Cyprians Anglican Church in Port Harcourt.

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry Banigo (Left) exchanging views with Mr. T. I. Minainyo, Chairman, Harvest Committee, St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church during the Scholarship Project Lunch/Flag-off of the 2017 Harvest of the Church at Hospital Road, Port Harcourt.

Dr. Banigo said the Governor Wike led Administration has the political will and commitment to improve the standard of education in the State because education is a tool to emancipate the youths, while the word of God helps to renew the mindset of the people.

“This is why the Government is renovating over 174 Primary Schools through the Universal Basic Education Board, renovation of secondary, schools establishment of a Medical School for the first time in the Rivers State University as well as the upgrading of facilities of the various tertiary institutions to ensure full accreditation of their courses and programmes” Dr. Banigo said.

According to her the establishment of the Port Harcourt Training and Vocational Centre (TVC) in collaboration with a German Non Governmental Organization was done deliberately to empower youths with a flair for technical subjects to acquire skills that will make them gainfully employed.

The Deputy Governor who advised youths to eschew violence, cultism, gangsterism, kidnapping and other social vices said such characters are alien to Rivers State and will do them no good.

“When I was the female President of the Boys Brigade between 1997 and 1999 I travelled through the length and breadth of the old Rivers State which includes Bayelsa now the kind of things I see our youths doing now is very strange” Dr. Banigo stressed.

According to her the Rivers State Government is determined to put an end to cultism and gangsterism, to this end she said government is collaborating with an NGO to take the campaign against the use of illicit drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other hard drugs to the nooks and crannies of the state to put an end to drug abuse.

The Deputy Governor said the Almighty God has predestined the youths for a purpose and they must strive hard to fulfil that purpose by exhibiting the right attitude at all times because after all is said and done it is their attitude that will determine if they would succeed in life or not.

“Let us change our attitude and embrace work, do not despise the days of little beginning, whatever your hands find to do please do it. I want to see the young ones show the way, run with the vision and be a blessing to your selves, your communities, your generation, and Rivers State”. Dr. Banigo stressed.

The Deputy Governor who expressed delight with the Scholarship Programme set up by the Anglican Youth Fellowship also donated to the scheme and advised them to put up a mechanism to make it sustainable.

She further advised them to ensure that only brilliant indigent students benefit from the scholarship scheme to make it have the desired impact.

“Let it touch the lives of brilliant indigent students who merit it otherwise the aim is defeated” She quipped.

Add captRivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs) Ipalibo Harry Banigo (2^nd Left) flanked by the Former Deputy Governor and his wife, Sir Gabriel Toby (2^nd & 3^rd Right), Vicar, Diocese of Niger Delta (Ang. Comm.), Ven. Amavey C. Abbey-Kalio and others cutting an Anniversary Cake during the Scholarship Project Lunch/Flag-off of the 2017 Harvest of St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church at Hospital Road, Port Harcourt.

Earlier in this Sermon Rev. Canon John Ubulom who spoke on the theme “Be a Blessing to others” declared that man is a carrier of God’s Divine blessings and favour which are inherent in them.

He stated that for anyone to be a blessing to others, he must first submit himself to God through faith, noting that as humans it is impossible to bless other people without yielding to God first.

More photos below.