U.S. ex-lawmaker proposes rural development model for Bayelsa

Ambassador Richard Swett, who represented the State of New Hampshire in the United States Congress, has proposed a rural development model for Bayelsa State, South South Nigeria.

Swett is the Chief Executive Officer of Climate Prosperity Enterprise Solutions, a New Hampshire-based community-focused development firm working to create sustainable local economies through an innovative wealth creation model.

Speaking in Government House, Yenagoa, during a courtesy visit on Monday, Swett said the development model would create jobs, as well as improve housing, electricity and food among others for people of the state. 

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Bayelsa Governor, Daniel Alabrah, quoted the CPES boss as saying that the model was hinged on what he referred to as Total Environment-Controlled Agriculture Plant.

According to him, the facility is a five-storey edifice built on a hectare of land, hosting agricultural activities capable of producing 400 times what could be grown in a regular farming season on same size of land.

He also explained that the TECAP facility, which would be a zero-carbon emission community, would have different businesses that residents would benefit from.

Swett further stated that each community would have a minimum of 3,000 persons that would own shares in the businesses within.

Funds for the project will be sourced from development agencies and other partners, he said, noting that New Hampshire shared a lot of similarities with Bayelsa and other places where similar projects had worked. He expressed optimism that it would work in the state with commitment from the government.

Responding, Governor Douye Diri expressed appreciation to the former Congressman for his choice of Bayelsa for the project, assuring him that the government would do its part to make it work.

He stated that the presentation was in line with his administration’s prosperity agenda to attract Foreign Direct Investment.

Diri said he was excited about the model, which, according to him, would attract private funds to the state. 

To show how serious he is to the project, the governor set up a committee to be chaired by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo, to interface with the former lawmaker and his team.

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