The candidate for governor of the Agreement in state of the rivers, Dumo Lulu-Briggson Tuesday, he unveiled what he calls a “robust plan to make Rivers State one of the largest economies in Africa over the next two decades.”
Mr. Lulu-Briggs has pledged to increase Rivers’ Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the current N9 billion to N25 billion per month within four years.
The manifesto, titled “Prosperity for All: My Binding Agreement,” was unveiled ahead of a Pan Rivers town hall meeting. It contained Mr. Lulu-Briggs’ schedule for each of the state’s 23 local government areas.
Mr. Lulu-Briggs said the Rivers State was created to bring prosperity to its people, but sadly, “98% of our people have been left behind.”
Cross section of the audience during the presentation of the Dumo Lulu-Briggs manifesto in Rivers
“We need a government to create a level playing field, a refreshing new direction, a period of peace, prosperity and progress.
“I have volunteered to serve as Governor of Rivers; there is work to be done and we in the Agreement are concerned, we want to make a difference”.
Lulu-Briggs said her vision for Rivers matches that of its founding fathers, which is to make the state the economic hub of the Niger Delta region and the rest of Nigeria, a developed and innovative state, and a continental destination for business. and tourism.
“I come to you with a deep sense of patriotism and commitment, a true understanding of the desires and aspirations of the people of our state. Our people yearn for a stable and supportive government, a government of integrity, dignity and serenity; a government of honor, candor and courage.
“I am determined to creatively address the state’s high 42% unemployment rate and 24% poverty rate; the economy would witness a rapid recovery and replace unemployment and poverty with good jobs and social ownership.”
‘How will I make it happen’
The candidate explained how he intended to actualize such a vision for the state.
“My goal is to expand IGR from the current N9 billion to around N25 billion monthly by the end of the first term. My mission is to restore prosperity to all in Rivers by laying the groundwork for an exponential increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), from its current annual value of $20 billion to approximately $350 billion in 12 to 15 years.
“I have established the 23 specific mini-development plans of the local government, which will bring accelerated growth and development to all councils in the state. There will be specialized industry groups in all local governments, producing along various value chains for local and export markets.
“The government that I will lead will have zero tolerance for insecurity. My multiple strategies to secure the state will include the creation of a public/private sector driven security trust fund; I will also ensure further investment in intelligence-gathering technology and intensified collaboration with state security institutions and neighboring/congruent states in a project to be called Rivers Watch.”
tourism, education
Lulu-Briggs promised to invest heavily in tourism to connect all parts of the state to the Atlantic Ocean and tap into culture. She also promised to improve the education system so that children have access to the best education, as she attracts students from parts of the country and the world to Rivers schools.
“The wealth of the Rivers State is covered by the underdevelopment of Andoni and other local government areas. We can get great income from tourism in Andoni and other areas. We just need to come together and work hard to achieve our dreams.
“All of this vision can only happen in a safe and secure state. Therefore, my first priority is to ensure excellent levels of security in Rivers before the end of 2023 and boost the confidence of global investors and tourists in the security and unlimited business potential in the state.
“The economic destiny of Rivers State is to bring prosperity to the people of the state first and by extension to all of eastern Nigeria from south-south Nigeria (Delta and Bayelsa states), through eastern Nigeria and until the end. to the state of Borno in the northeast.
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“This is similar to the role of Lagos in bringing prosperity to western Nigeria, but the historical motive for the creation of our state seems to have been lost in the plan of previous Rivers State administrations to realize our untapped fortune by making the Rivers state the economic center. from eastern Nigeria,” he stressed.
Speaking at the event, Accord’s national president, Mohammed Lawal, described Mr. Lulu-Briggs as a man of his word, saying he possessed the qualities to one day become president of the country.
He urged the people of Rivers to elect Mr. Lulu-Briggs, to “experience prosperity in the state,” saying the candidate had made a positive impact on people’s lives.