Ondo Govt. to partner more donors, international partners

The Ondo State government says it will continue to collaborate with donor agencies and development partners to access more grants for the infrastructural development of the state.

The state Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, said this at a meeting with a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Abuja, on 2021 Borrower’s Monitoring and Evaluation of all Donor Assisted Projects, in Akure on Friday.

Akinterinwa said that the move would 

 the state diversify its economy, attract more foreign investors and provide more job opportunities for the teeming youths.

He said that with the REDEEMED Agenda of Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu-led administration, the state would continue to witness more infrastructural development in key areas such as road construction/rehabilitation, health, education, tourism and agriculture.

The commissioner enjoined the team to identify the state’s areas of inefficiency in project implementation in order to improve.

He assured that everything possible would be done on the part of the state government to ensure all projects were properly executed.

“We want to succeed, we are willing to listen to your counsel, advice and collaboration to ensure that these projects are delivered within the stipulated time,” he said.

Akinterinwa urged the coordinators of the benefiting agencies in the state to cooperate with the team so that the objective of their visit would be achieved.

In her remarks, the Leader of the team, Mrs Lucy Okpanachi, said the monitoring was to ensure that the developmental objectives of the donor assisted projects were achieved, and to review  the implementation process of the components under the projects.

She said it was also to ensure follow-up on all outstanding issues, identify the bottlenecks to the smooth implementation of the projects, and provide support and solution to the Projects Implementation Unit (PIU) for the effective coordination/ implementation of projects.

Earlier, the state Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Tokunbo Aiyejoto, said the programme was at the instance of the Federal Ministry of Finance which guaranteed Ondo State access to the projects from development partners and donors.

Some of the government agencies in the state that made presentations include, Water Corporation, Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project ( NEWMAP), Youth Employment and Social Support Operation and State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Programmes for Result (SFTAS) and IFAD/ FGN/LIFE-ND.

They identified effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, astronomical increase in goods and services, and delay by donor agencies and development partners to approve funds as some of the major challenges facing projects execution and implementation.

Some of the projects visited are: the Owena Multipurpose Dam at Igbara-Odo, Festus Adetunla Road in Owo and Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta ( LIFE-ND) and the Project Incubation Centre at Igoba, Akure.