Rivers government saves N1bn from BVN

Rivers Deputy Governor, Mrs Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, on Friday said that the state had saved about N1 billion as a result of workers’ bank verification exercise (BVN) it carried out.

Harry-Banigo made this known at the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PHCCIMA) Business Luncheon in Port Harcourt.

She said that the state government was constrained to embark on the verification due to current poor revenue profile of the state.

She said that the state’s Board of Internal Revenue had been strengthened to perform optimally towards improved revenue generation.

Harry-Banigo assured that the state government would provide the necessary infrastructure to encourage business to thrive in the state.

She stated that the current administration in the state had since inception carried out massive road rehabilitation, including federal roads, as part of efforts at providing conducive business atmosphere in the state.

She said that government would continue to provide the necessary infrastructure for the people in spite of reduction in allocation from the Federation Account to the state.

The deputy governor said that the state government was also committed to ensuring adequate security for smooth business atmosphere across the state.

According to her, the government has met with the security agencies to ensure adequate security in the state.

She also said that the administration was poised to provide jobs for the people, and called on investors to come to the state.

Harry-Banigo stressed that the state had a lot of facilities to help business to grow, and urged the business community to avail themselves of the sea ports, airport and other infrastructure in the state.

In his remarks, President of PHACCIMA, Mr Emi Membere-Otaji, said that the luncheon would be a remarkable forum to bring together the business community in the state.

He said that participants would receive a great deal of education on how to embark upon successful business activities and avail themselves of many business opportunities that would be exposed to them at the forum.

Membere-Otaji called for diversification of the economy, regretting that because of fall in oil price, some companies had started sacking their workers.