Indigenes want microfinance bank, IGR boost in Opobo

  For the ancient Opobo town to embrace rapid economic transformation, a micro-finance bank (MFB) must be set up in the area to make credit available to local business people. The elders of the land also urged the council boss to initiate strategies to boost internally generated revenue (IGR) currently put at near zero in Opobo area.

This is as the Opobo/Nkoro local council boss, Maclean Bethel Uranta, has unveiled packages aimed at attracting investors in the water-locked area.

The stakeholders led by the monarch, the Amanyanabo Opobo, the king, Dandeson Jaja, and the former deputy governor of the state, GTG Toby, said an MFB would boost local businesses and lay a foundation for external investors.

The resolutions were part of the decisions reached in July 2012 for the economic development of the Andoni, Opobo/Nkoro economic zone initiated by Dakuku Peterside of the House of Representatives.

At another event, the chairman said that the council is willing to partner and provide an enabling environment for development partners and investors with genuine interest of providing development projects and programmes to the people.

Uranta made the declaration in Opobo town when he played host to a team of evaluators from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Local Government and the Rivers State Rural Water Agency (RUWASA) who came to assess water, sanitation and health facilities in the area.

The council boss said that his administration has provided well-treated water to some of the communities of the area but that there is problem of distribution due to huge sum and heavy technicalities involved. He called on WHO and the state government to come to the aid of the people with the reticulation of the water.

IGNATIUS CHUKWU