RIVERS HAS ENORMOUS POTENTIAL – EX-ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER EHUD OLMERT

A former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, has spoken about what he called enormous potentials inherent in Rivers State and expressed confidence in the dynamic leadership of the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to continuously use the State’s potential to benefit the people.

Ehud Olmert spoke when he paid a visited Governor Amaechi in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.

“The impression that I always get when I come to Africa is that these countries have enormous potential and your country and your state (Rivers) has enormous potential and I think that you happen to have at this time in history also, a dynamic, energetic and capable leadership that can make the dreams of building up the state into a reality of life for the 5.1 million residents in Rivers State that want their lives to be of much higher and greater quality”.

On the prospect of promoting partnership between Rivers State and the State of Israel, Ehud Olmert said, “I think that there is a possibility that we will find ways to explore together how to bring in investors, how to develop areas of interest that are of importance to the development of Rivers State in agriculture, in waste management, in water, in building up greenhouses, in growing vegetables that will be of the highest quality as we do in Israel instead of buying them overseas...”

He commended the visionary leadership of Governor Amaechi. Earlier after an inspection tour of one of the many new primary schools that has been built by the Amaechi administration, Prime Minister Olmert described the school as "wonderful and very impressive", which he also wrote in the School's visitors book.

Governor Amaechi thanked the former Israeli Prime Minister for the visit and expressed willingness to partner with the State of Israel.

“Be rest assured that Rivers State will be very willing to partner with you, the Israeli people, the Israeli companies and the Israeli State to see how much we can develop in the area of agriculture and other areas."

“Basically, for us as a State the interest is to ensure that we create that opportunity for people to be employed and ensure that there is food security...”, Amaechi said.

Governor Amaechi further said he has been spurred by the numerous achievements of the ex-Israeli leader who was Prime Minister from 2006 – 2009.