Ninh Binh (VNA) 🐟– Ninh Binh is proud to welcomePresident Ho Chi Minh five times during 1946-1959, and the northern provincehas recorded remarkable changes after making great efforts to follow thebeloved leader’s teachings and example.

The first time President Ho came to Ninh Binh was on January13, 1946, when he visited Bishop Le Huu Tu and residents in Phat Diem, Kim Sondistrict. The next time was on February 10, 1947, when the President chaired aconference of Ninh Binh land-owners held at Nho Quan district. The third time,he travelled to the province on March 15, 1959 to encourage farmers in YenKhanh district to fight drought. That same year, he attended a conference onthe Winter-Spring crop in Ninh Binh in October. The last time he visited NinhBinh was on July 20, 1960, when he stopped over at Dong Giao farm in Tam Dieptown on the way from Nghe An and Thanh Hoa back to Hanoi. Apart from the visits, President Ho closely followed thesituation in Ninh Binh and regularly wrote to the province to commend andencourage the Party organisation and people in the province. It is noteworthythat in 1969, he sent the 10th Party Congress of Ninh Binh hisportrait along with valuable advice. Each visit by the President was an honour for the province,which brought joy and pride for local residents. The visits not only demonstratedhis care for the province but also conveyed valuable advice and instructions ofthe great leader. At the conference on the Winter-Spring crop in Ninh Binh inOctober, 1959, the President gave directions for not only the Winter-Springcrop that year, but also the implementation of the three-year socialist reform planfrom 1958 to 1960. Furthermore, his instructions conveyed a far-sighted vision,guiding the Party organisation, military and people of Ninh Binh in variousaspects over the long-term. He had emphasised unity among the people, withinthe Party, between religious and non-religious people; patriotic emulation inproduction; and the practice of thrift, which is still relevant nowadays. Following his teachings, the authorities and people of NinhBinh have united in their efforts to overcome difficulties, thus joining peoplenationwide in the resistance war for national liberation and re-unification. Afterthe national re-unification, the province has made remarkable development,particularly after the re-establishment of Ninh Binh as a province in 1992. The campaign launched by the Party on studying and followingthe example of President Ho Chi Minh in 2016 has received warm response from agencies,organisations, military units and the people in Ninh Binh. In implementing the 12th Politburo’s Directive05-CT/TW issued on May 15, 2016, on studying and following President Ho ChiMinh’s ideology, morality and style, many localities and units in Ninh Binhhave devised innovative and effective activities engaging the public, thuscreating strong changes in the awareness and actions of local officials, Partymembers, civil servants, public employees, and members of the armed forces. The movement has seen the rise of many bright exemplaryindividuals, such as Major Le Hai Ninh in Yen Mo district and Duong Hong Quy inNinh Binh city who donated their organs after death; Party member Do Quang Sanin Yen Khanh district who built a bridge for the locality; junior high schoolstudent Le Thi Minh Ngoc who opened a private library, a math club and afree-of-charge foreign language class for local children. Nguyen Xuan Hai, standing vice chairman of the provincialParty Committee’s Commission for Education and Information, said the movementhas contributed to strengthening the Party organisation and political system,promoting socio-economic development, consolidating defence-security, improvinglocal living standards and enhancing public’s trust in the Party’s leadership. Ninh Binh has recorded a high growth rate of 8.21 percent ayear during 2016-2018. Budget collection in the province surged 300 times fromjust 40 billion VND in 1992 to 12,777 billion VND in 2018. The local economicstructure has shifted towards higher proportion of services and non-agriculturesectors. In 2018, the service sector accounted for 47.1 percent of the localeconomy, the industry-construction sector - 40.80 percent, andagro-fishery-forestry 12.1 percent. 90 communes, or 84 percent of total communes in Ninh Binh, alongwith two districts and a city, had been recognised as new rural areas as of theend of 2018. The poverty rate in the province, based on multi-dimensionalcriteria, has dropped to 3.63 percent at present. President Ho has been, and will always be an example for NinhBinh people to follow in the cause of development.-VNA