Transparency helps Nasarawa to attracts World Bank, FG funding for development projects – Gov Sule
AREWA AGENDA – Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule has attributed running a transparent government, entrenching due process and inclusiveness to why the state keep attracting funding from the World Bank and the Federal Government. He said the funds are being channeled to carrying out development projects in the state.
Governor Sule who announced this Wednesday at the 7th and final State Executive Council meeting for the outgoing year, 2022, at the Government House, stressed that his administration was going to channel all public funds into projects that has direct bearing to the lives of the people
He expressed satisfaction that, Nasarawa State was lucky to received funding from both the World Bank and Federal Government, following which, more and more projects are to be executed by his administration in the new year.
The governor assured that he has nothing to fear because, he runs a transparent administration, with every project undertaken was openly discussed during the state executive council meetings.
According to Sule, with the lots of blackmail coming from the opposition parties, especially during the campaigns, his administration will not shy away from discussing projects being implemented, because everything is being done transparently.
“They (opposition) will say things and it’s up to us to defend what we are doing. If we are very transparent in what we do, we should not be afraid to discuss about what we are doing. That is why everything we do as a government, we discuss them at the exco meeting,” Sule stated.
He explained that, the reason for the SEC meeting, was for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to appraise the 2023 budget already passed by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly.
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“I want us to use the opportunity to go through the budget right now as was already submitted and defended by each one of the MDAs. I don’t want us to sign the budget only to come and realize that there are errors.
“In the past, we have signed budget only to come and realize certain omissions pertaining to some ministries. We should be able to discuss the summary of our submissions,” he said.
Governor Sule added that, the meeting is also meant to review the budget passed by the assembly, especially that there was an upward review from the roughly N148bn submitted to the assembly, to N149bn.
“As you all know, we submitted a budget of roughly 148bn and currently we have 149bn as was approved. Definitely there must be some changes, either deductions from some other areas or additions. We will discuss them further during the meeting,” he stated.
He said, the meeting was necessary to discuss several other projects that are coming in the new year, mostly as a result of funds received by the state from both the World Bank and the Federal Government.
“I want to make sure that everybody is onboard and all the projects that we are carrying out so that people are fully aware. You can call any member of the council to ask about this project.
“I want somebody to be confident, whether it’s your Ministry or not, to be able to discuss it openly. To say I am aware of it. It’s not done under the table anywhere, it was discussed at exco,” he added.
He further explained that, security concerns in the western senatorial zone of the state also necessitated the council meeting, to enable members discuss further with a view to preferring solutions.
The Governor, however update the council members on the successes recorded by the state, during the period under review, where it recorded zero infection in the outbreak of the seven major diseases namely: measles, meningitis, cholera, lassa fever, COVID-19 and very recently, the monkey pox.
He expressed optimism that, the State will continue to maintain her position on the table of vaccination in the country, with 98 percent coverage of the state.
Credit: Business Day
