The World Bank and the European Union in Benin City has scored Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole high on its project implementation in the State which is being funded through partnership between the world bodies and Edo State Government.
The representatives of the World Bank, Mr. Ismaila Ceesay and the European Union, Yuan Hansla, who said they were in Government House, Benin City on the mid-review of the Edo State Employment and Expenditure For Result (SEEFOR) Project, boldly declared that they were impressed with the projects being executed.
The World Bank Representative, Mr. Ismaila Ceesay diclosed, “This morning, we have started our mission and it has 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. Being a mid-term review, we need to discuss among ourselves and get the consensus of your government on areas that will require restructuring, if need be.”
“We also look at the fact that since the EU money has not been forthcoming 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.”
He explained 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.
According to him, 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-sector, multi-skill, multi-competence team that will plan with your various officials in supporting the implementation of this very complex project. A project that has several multi skilled requirements in terms of providing implementation support.”
“So, we stand ready to supporting you and so far, we are impressed with what we have seen. What we are discussing, we are getting all the information we required and since the mission did not happen for over a year, we now realized that exactly notwithstanding, your state has actually progressed on its own, implementing the activities that were agreed in the World Bank to be implemented and that issues are being resolved in a steady manner.”
“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 we 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 realize 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.”
