Delta In-Coming Governor Promises To Sustain Partnership With World Bank
ASABA/Nigeria: Governor-elect, Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, had promised that the incoming administration in the state will partner with the World Bank in its Small, Medium-, and long-term development programmes.
Rt Hon Oborevwori who is the Speaker of the State House of Assembly stated this when he played host to a delegation from World Bank and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources on Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, SURWASH project in his office in Asaba, the state capital.
The Governor-elect told the delegation that he had inaugurated a transition committee to midwife the smooth take-off of the next administration in the state, disclosing that the committee would among other things come up with Small, Medium, and long term development plans for the state.
Oborevwori noted that the incoming administration would seriously engage critical stakeholders and development partners, including the World Bank at ensuring successful implementation of the SML programmmes.
The Governor-elect expressed happiness over the visit of the delegation as it afforded him the opportunity to interact with them on ways to attract development to the state in line with his M.O.R.E agenda.
He told the delegation that Delta State is peaceful and safe, assuring that the state government would continue to provide a conducive environment for investors and investment to thrive.
Delta State Commissioner for Water Resources Development, Hon Samuel Mariere said the SURWASH project is a six year program of the World Bank with Delta amongst the seven benefiting states in Nigeria.
Hon Mariere stated that the programme has taken firm root in Delta State, disclosing that the sum of one million dollars was recently released to the state for projects under the SURWASH Programme.
Saying that SURWASH is a project that attracts rewards, the Commissioner explained that Delta State has a strong implementation team and the Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is very keen to see the success of the programme in the state.
According to Hon Mariere, the first phase of implementation is in the area of water supply and Asaba, Okpanam and their environment have been chosen for the pilot scheme.
He said the overall interest is to ensure a clean water supply for the people of Delta State.
In his remarks, Technical Team Leader of the project, Mr Gerhardus Nicholas Soppe said the sum of seven hundred million dollars was voted by the World Bank for the SURWASH project.
While appreciating the Governor-elect, Sheriff Oborevwori for the audience, Mr Soppe stated that Delta was lucky to be one of the seven states in the country chosen for the SURWASH programme.
The National Project Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Dahiru Abdul said the national implementation committee would continue to encourage participating states to ensure the actualization of set goals.
The team were on a three-day working visit to Delta State.
