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| FROM LEFT, GOVERNOR EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE WORLD BANK, DR. NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA AND ANOTHER OFFICIAL OF THE BANK, DURING A MEETING AT THE WORLD BANK HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES |
Governor Uduaghan disclosed this at a meeting with a World Bank team led by its Managing Director, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the bank’s headquarters in Washington DC.
He said that the partnership would support the state government’s three-point agenda of peace and security, human capital development and infrastructure development.
He called on the bank to assist Delta state with technical support, financing of key projects, capacity building for government officials, support to open new markets for farmers and industries and support to build entrepreneurial industries.
Dr. Uduaghan noted that the partnership would also help to reduce poverty, as well as improve standard of living in Delta communities and ensure the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Governor Uduaghan also listed the areas of partnership to include agriculture, environment, human capital development, health, revenue generation, water resources, education, transport, energy and ICT.
He urged the bank to key into Delta government projects and programmes designed to boost socio-economic activities in the oil-producing communities in the state.
Earlier, Okonjo-Iweala expressed the desire of the bank to foster a working relationship with the state government, but stressed that the ethics of transparency, good governance, accountability, and peace and security was needed to actualise the partnership.
According to her, “This ethics are key to the World Bank and we urged the government to adhere to them to do business with us, so as to uplift the conditions of our people”.
The managing director, also commended Governor Uduaghan for his initiative to facilitate “concrete development” for the wellbeing of Deltans and urged him not to relent on his oars.
Some of the World Bank’s officials, who spoke at the meeting, said that there were opportunities to be explored by the bank to promote growth and development in the Niger Delta region.
They promised to work toward ensuring that the bank supports some development projects that have direct bearing on the welfare of the communities in Delta state.
governor Uduaghan, government officials and other eminent Delta personalities had earlier held an interactive session with some members of the U.S. business community in Washington DC.
The session dwelled on investment in education, health, agriculture, science and technology, information and communication, transportation and energy development.
