There is a combination of multi-sectoral, multi-skill, and multi-competence team from the World Bank, European Union and the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning Commission in Edo State whose mission seems a good omen for the entire citizens, post Adams Oshiomhole’s tenure in November 12, 2016.
This powerful team arrive the modern ancient city on Tuesday, with the intent to appreciate the State Government for the employment generated under State Employment and Expenditure for Results (SEEFOR) and to plead for continuity in poverty reduction policies and financial reforms.
The team, among others, was in town to plan with Edo State Government officials on the midterm preview of the SEEFOR Project and providing the implementation support.
Being a midterm review, the leader of the World Bank Representative, Mr. Ismaila Ceesay said, there was need to discuss and get the consensus of the State Government in areas that will require restructuring, if need be.
Ceesay, who was briefing Governor Adams Oshiomhole during a courtesy call to Government House said, “We have started our mission and it is been a very productive mission so far. The Project Coordinator and his team have demonstrated to us that for all the three components of the projects, there is actually feasible progress in terms of implementation process.”
Expatiating, he said, “We also look at the fact that since the EU money has not been forth coming but it is going to be available by next month, which is a grant to this government, that the project would require restructuring, not only restructuring for the purpose of accommodating the EU funds but also extending the life of the project by another two years.
“With this, we are all of the opinion that the present development strides will be delivered in this state and other states that the project seeks to support. Our management is very keen to continue with this support and for us to work with you, not to supervise you but to work with you on implementation support arrangement where if there are weaknesses in any area, we stand by you and support you in resolving those issues.
“We are not going to work with you as a policeman versus the citizens, we are actually partners in this and that is why we also with the clearance of the EU, we have to agree to put on the mission this time and this time, I am sure you will realise that we have multi-sectoral, multi-skill, multi-competence team that will plan with your various officials in supporting the implementation of this very complex project.
“The state grant issue which was a critical area of the bank problem under this project has since been resolved and we also understand and have seen some evidence that the state is not only trying to ensure that such an issue does not arise but are also implementing sustainability measures that will allow these projects in terms of outcome of it to continue to realise even when the Bank and the EU are not partnering with you, that is, assuming the project closes in 2017 to be extended again to 2019.
“We want to reconfirm to you that we the Bank and EU will stand by you in supporting your developmental strides. We have seen the progress that has been achieved in the past two years especially in the area of employment generation and financial management area,” the World Bank official explained.
Ceesay was not alone; the EU representative, Mr. Yuan Hansla was also on hand to give Edo people some words of hope, courage and support.
According to him, “We at the EU are very keen to see our additional finance that is going to be incorporated into the project to be finally approved and available by the end of this month to the beginning of next month.”
Like the good host, Oshiomhole appreciated the team. “We feel quite honoured to have you in Edo State and to see for yourselves and to reconcile what is in the books to what is on ground and I think for me, that is the way it should be,” he said.
But trust the comrade governor to also seize the opportunity of such occasion to share his ideals and ideas of how things work in Edo State.
“For us, reforms have been the constant word. When I was in NLC, we talk about revolution but now, we realised that to make state viable and to deliver services more efficiently, we just must have unbending reforms if we like, what appears whether by reasons of changes in technology or the complexity of society and the ever mounting expectations of our people, we need to continue to improve on efficiency in service delivery at minimum cost and maximum output and so we are encouraged.
“I do the same thing here. I deal with all kind of files and all sort of opinions formed on the basis of well articulated memos from various MDAs but for me, from time to time, and without notice, I like to go and see whether those files and memos elegantly written, well edited, whether what is on ground is just as attractive, because the entry point for the people is in terms of the deliverables which they can see.
“In this state, and over the period, we have sustained our political conversations around what we termed ‘eye-mark’ and government shouldn’t just claim to have done but people should be witnesses to what government is doing and it must bring the people to bear testimony that those things are actually realised. Unless they can say so, our annual reports are meaningless,” Oshiomhole explained.
