ADVERTISEMENT
The Sun Nigeria
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
The Sun Nigeria
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

As World Bank applauds Anambra State

26th October 2018
in Opinion
0
As World Bank applauds Anambra State
0
SHARES
319
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
ADVERTISEMENT

Of greater satisfaction to the World Bank team was that Anambra was adjudged outstanding in all the areas of the bank’s intervention in the South-East

Chris Egbuna

The recent recognition of Anambra by the World Bank as the best performing state in the handling of the bank’s projects in the South-East region has, again earned it global attention for good. Coming at a time many states are struggling with a myriad of challenges, including poor governance that reflects in the inefficient management of resources, the recognition represents another landmark in its developmental process. It is on record that the government and people of Anambra have been ‘inundated’ with awards in recent times, which is evidence of Gov. Willie Obiano’s determination to position Anambra for effective governance and adequate human capital development.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s 13.2m out-of -school children: Abubakar faults World Bank, UNICEF reports

The World Bank country director, Rachid Benmessaou, who led a 10-man delegation from the bank to Gov. Obiano in Awka, revealed that Anambra emerged tops in the assessment conducted by the bank in the South-East on execution and delivery of the bank’s projects in the region during 2017. According to Benmessaou, the outcome of his team’s 2-day working visit to Anambra to evaluate the World Bank project implementation for 2017 was satisfactory. The World Bank officials noted that Anambra excelled in the handling and monitoring of projects going on in the state and that the state emerged first in project delivery, monitoring, accounting and transparency in the 2017 assessment.

Of greater satisfaction to the World Bank team was that Anambra was adjudged outstanding in all the areas of the bank’s intervention in the South-East region during the review period. The sectors that benefited from the $100 million World Bank investment in Anambra (out of the $10 billion earmarked for Nigeria) include agriculture and community-based development projects such as rural electrification and rural access roads. These are people-oriented projects where Anambra excelled in project delivery, monitoring, accountability and transparency in the bank’s 2017 assessment. A study of the state’s performance in the priority areas that impressed the bank showed that Gov. Obiano’s emphasis on transparency and due process contributed to the success story.

As Philip Crosby said in his book, Quality is Free, “when it is right you know it”. Gov. Obiano’s performance has been outstanding and this is verifiable. Nothing could have impressed the World Bank better than seeing its investments make the desired impact on the people. The officials had expressed satisfaction over the success recorded in agriculture which has led to an all-year-round farming in the state. Gov. Obiano did acknowledge that the World Bank intervention in the state added value to the quality of life of the people in the benefiting communities.

This outstanding leadership quality earned Anambra the well-deserved recognition while other states were missing in action. Benmessaou’s response during the visit suggests that Anambra is set to witness more of such projects in the near future. Of course, Gov. Obiano’s performance has added to the confidence the bank has in Anambra among Nigeria’s 36 states and Abuja. For instance, Obiano’s request for the bank to step up intervention in other areas so as to complement his government’s accelerated development programmes was favourably noted by the World Bank team. “Your assistance has been germane to the achievements and successes recorded by the state. I commend your initiative through FADAMA to introduce an all-year-round farming in the state. Your initiative, Anambra and Local Reform Project (ANSLOGOR) is equally important as it aids accountability and due process,” Obiano said. His mood revealed the joy of a leader who has impressed the world; and whose state attracts key global players in the critical development areas.

READ ALSO: Obiano, Achebe lead public presentation of Anambra Compendium on Oct. 1

He used the opportunity to urge the World Bank to assist the state more in fighting erosion by increasing their current 12 erosion control sites. This will reduce the burden on the state government which is battling with 976 erosion sites across the local government areas. Obiano further expressed his government willingness to play active part in any of the bank’s Community Social Development Programmes (CDSP) created for the state.

The governor’s insight into the projects and their specific impact shows that the state government monitored the World Bank intervention initiatives. Obviously, Gov. Obiano’s performance will go a long way in changing the impression among the international community that nothing works in Nigeria. It will also disabuse the mind of many who believe that the notorious concept of “Nigerian factor” makes it impossible for things to be done the right way. The World Bank would have been utterly disappointed if the story was difference in Anambra which is highly rated for exemplary leadership. Anambra also came tops in the World Bank Health Excellence Award announced in July 2018 based on its outstanding performance in immunization. The award was earned under the World Bank “Saving one million lives” initiative aimed at expanding primary healthcare to women and children. At the award ceremony in Abuja, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo paid special tribute to Gov. Obiano for his outstanding performance in implementing the World Bank health initiative. The “Saving one million lives” award to Anambra was based on the World Bank assessment of the 2016/2017 yardstick for measuring health sector performance in Nigeria.

Gov. Obiano’s silent healthcare revolution in Anambra is in line with the Federal Government health policy that promotes universal under-five-year-olds in remote rural communities across the country. Most states of the federation have not registered demonstrable progress under this initiative. Their challenge is compounded by the fact that these states owe their workers accumulated salaries and pension arrears. Achieving this feat is a demonstration of efficient deployment of resources by the state government. The World Bank says the Health Excellence Award focused on evidence-based, cost effective management of the intervention that addressed the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The award comes at a time Nigeria’s healthcare delivery is rated among the worst in the world. The people of Anambra can be rest assured that they are safe from the tragic effect of collapsed healthcare system that has attracted global attention. Bill Gates, Co-Chair of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria’s sorry health condition, earlier this year in Abuja while addressing the Nigerian Economic Council: “In 1978, Dr. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti, who later became the Nigerian minister of health, helped establish primary health care as the global standard.

READ ALSO: ERGP: Bill Gates told Nigeria naked truth – NMA

_______________________________

Egbuna writes from Nnewi

Tags: anambraanambra and local reform projectanambra stateANSLOGORbill & melinda gates foundationCDSPcommunity social development programmesfadamafarmingimmunizationobianorachid benmessaousouth-east regionworld bank
Tokunbo David

Tokunbo David

Sun News Online team writer and news editor

Related Posts

Searching for smoking guns against Atiku
Columns

Matters arising from Bayelsa governorship poll

10th December 2019
Searching for smoking guns against Atiku
Opinion

Matters arising from Bayelsa governorship poll

10th December 2019
Opinion

Francis, the Pope for the youths

10th December 2019
Next Post
2019: We must get it right

2019: We must get it right

Pruning the number of political parties

Pruning the number of political parties

Moses Olaiya Adejumo (1937-2018)

Moses Olaiya Adejumo (1937-2018)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

No Result
View All Result

Highlights

Upsurge in West Africa-bound cocaine seizures alarms UN

Bandits kidnap 2 expatriates, 6 others in Niger 

Pension scam: Maina’s trial stalls over screening of witness

Edo APC factions in counter claims over proposed rally to receive defecting PDP members in Benin

No need for Hate Speech bill, death sentence – Vanguard’s Sam Amuka

FG, NDDC, IFAD launch 12-year agricultural project in Niger Delta

Trending

NYSC, NHIS restrategise on free health service for corps members
National

NYSC, NHIS restrategise on free health service for corps members

10th December 2019
0

Romanus Ugwu, Abuja The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reiterated its determination to review the existing...

House directs NDDC to defray liabilities with 2019 budget

House directs NDDC to defray liabilities with 2019 budget

10th December 2019
President Buhari arrives Egypt ahead of the ASWAN Forum on Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa on 10th Dec 2019

President Buhari arrives Egypt ahead of the ASWAN Forum on Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa on 10th Dec 2019

10th December 2019
Upsurge in West Africa-bound cocaine seizures alarms UN

Upsurge in West Africa-bound cocaine seizures alarms UN

10th December 2019
Bandits attack in Niger: Death toll rises to 70, eight villages sacked

Bandits kidnap 2 expatriates, 6 others in Niger 

10th December 2019
The Sun Nigeria

Follow us on social media:

Categories

  • Abuja Metro (790)
  • Arts (151)
  • Broken Tongues (139)
  • Business (13,094)
  • Business Week (91)
  • Cartoons (70)
  • Citizen Joe (28)
  • Columns (7,314)
  • Cover (24,730)
  • Culture (40)
  • Duro Onabule (145)
  • Editorial (1,661)
  • Education Review (1,241)
  • Effect (380)
  • Elections (2,744)
  • Entertainment (2,348)
  • Events (105)
  • Features (3,657)
  • Femi Adesina (4)
  • Food & Drinks (146)
  • Frank Talk (99)
  • Funke Egbemode (108)
  • Gallery (7)
  • Health (1,707)
  • Insights (151)
  • Kalu Leadership Series (47)
  • Kunle Solaja (3)
  • Kunle Solaja (23)
  • Letters (156)
  • Lifeline (1,785)
  • Lifestyle (248)
  • Literary Review (656)
  • Marketing Matters (47)
  • Muiz Banire (3)
  • National (56,951)
  • News (1,695)
  • Offside Musings (46)
  • Opinion (4,107)
  • oriental news (788)
  • Politics (10,749)
  • Press Release (4)
  • PressClips (186)
  • Public Sphere (136)
  • Ralph Egbu (163)
  • Shola Oshunkeye (23)
  • Sideview (1)
  • South-west Magazine (824)
  • Sponsored Post (1)
  • Sporting Sun (5,633)
  • Sports (10,443)
  • Sun Girl (1,043)
  • Tea Time (27)
  • The Flipside – Eric Osagie (73)
  • The Sun Awards Live (67)
  • The Sun TV (103)
  • Thoughts & Talks (30)
  • Time Out (168)
  • Today's cover (186)
  • Tola Adeniyi (63)
  • Travel (82)
  • Travel & Tourism (157)
  • Trending (82)
  • TSWeekend (1,335)
  • Turf Game (134)
  • Uncategorized (9)
  • Updates (106)
  • Views from Abroad (56)
  • Voices (135)
  • World (16)
  • World News (6,507)
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Paper Ad Rate
  • Online Ad Rate
  • The Team
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.