Rivers State Government has assured the winner of Big Brother Africa IV Show, Kevin Pam, that it would partner with his Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Naija Pikin, to achieve its objectives.
Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi gave the assurance during a dinner hosted in honour of members of the Big Brother Africa Television Reality Show, led by Pam at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Represented by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Magnus Abe, Amaechi said the focus of the NGO on Malaria eradication and traumatised children from conflict areas attracts the state government’s interest.
He explained that the state government has taken a major step in the decision to spray larvaticides throughout the entire state, so as to rid the state of mosquito larva and has signed a contract with a Cuban Firm that possesses the technology, for that purpose.
The governor said the Cuban company has brought samples of the chemical, which are currently being subjected to testing to ensure that they meet international safety requirements, stressing that on completion of the process, the programme would begin and malaria would have a back seat in the state.
He remarked that malaria scourge remains a big challenge facing the African Continent, noting that it requires a bold step to fight it. He emphasised that the state would be glad to collaborate with the Naija Pikin concept as well as the members of the Big Brother Africa family.
In the area of post conflict resolution, Governor Amaechi said, the Rivers State Government was the first to establish a social rehabilitation centre to train, re-orientate and re-integrate misguided youths to the society for which a lot of investments have been made.
In his words, “I want to encourage you that doing community work, trying to mobilise people to see things differently has never been easy, and a lot of people go into it thinking they will make profit out of it, or change the society in a few days.”
The governor, who reminded the Big Brother members of the advantages of long term programme promised that the state government would assess the level of seriousness of the programme to enable it partner with them, provided it offers opportunity to change society in a positive direction.
He thanked the Nigerian born winner of Big Brother Africa who hails from Jos, Plateau State but grew up in Port Harcourt, for tracing his root, adding that the number of viewers of the programme was an indication of its success, and enjoined the organisers to keep it up.
Winner of last year’s edition of Big Brother Africa Television Reality Show and Nigerian-born Kevin Pam said they were in the state to seek partnership with the state government and other Non-Governmental Organisations towards the realising his vision of Naija Pikin which seeks to reach out to Nigerian children, preach peace and kick against malaria. The project, he said, has commenced in Abuja with the distribution of mosquito treated nets to some rural communities and intends to do same in Rivers State while also projecting the Nigerian Child affected by post-conflict situation in areas like Jos and the Niger Delta.
Pam, who recalled his days in Port Harcourt, equally hinted that the programme would want to harness the creative potential in physically challenged children in building a better society, and solicited the support of the state government towards the project, which would also act as a cultural exchange for African people.
Some of the members of Big Brother Africa family from Gambia, Mozambique, South Africa and Botswana who were at the occasion, said they were happy to be in Port Harcourt and described the city as a town full of night life and hospitality.
