NASS Hails Projects Sustainability

The National Assembly Committee on Civil Society and Donor Agencies has said it is impressed with the institutional framework put in place by the Cross River State government to enhance sustainability of its projects.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Civil Society and Donor Agencies, Hon (Prof.) Ini Udoka stated this?when he visited?Governor Liyel Imoke after inspecting some projects in the State.

Udoka said they were in the State to inspect projects executed by the European Union (EU) with Federal Ministry of Water Resources as well as others undertaken by Federal MDAS to ascertain their level of implementation, quality and impact on the citizens domiciled in the State.

According to him, they visited projects at Ikot Okon Abasi and Akpap Okoyong in Odukpani Local Government Area and said Cross River has put in place structures that give confidence to international agencies which has singled it out as a model in the Country.

The Federal legislator remarked that this was based on the degree of accountability and transparency which the state had exhibited and congratulated it for giving Nigeria confidence in projects execution.

The chairman expressed its concern over the years about the kind of assistance given to Nigeria by some donor agencies saying they are out dated.

According to him, hand pumps are outdated and cannot withstand events like tsunami and it is time Nigeria decided the kind of assistance that falls in line with national development service which EU should give.

He observed that things done in Cross River were in line with the needs of people but, noted however,that the challenge faced by some of the projects was the none release of counterpart funds from the Federal Government and assured that on arrival in Abuja, he would meet with the officials of Federal Ministry of Finance to address the issue.

Udoka averred that the good work done by the state government was an evidence that the people were enjoying dividends of democracy and commended Cross River for establishing Ministry of Water Resources.

Governor Liyel Imoke in his response disclosed that over the years the state had instituted necessary institutions and strengthened them with needed capacity to achieve its objectives because of its belief that they would serve the people better.

He reasoned that the life cycle of projects must live beyond the tenure of two governors and add values to the lives of the beneficiaries as well as encourage continuity of the party of successive governments.