FG seeks $1bn loan for irrigation, water supply The Federal Government on Monday said it will seek about $1bn from development partners to improve water supply and irrigation services in Nigeria. It said the fund would be used to further enhance its Water Sector Reform programme which covers infrastructure development, public private partnership, institutional strengthening and capacity building. The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, disclosed this in Abuja during the third Workshop on Performance Assessment, Benchmarking and Governance Issues of Water Agencies in Nigeria. She said, “Since the commencement of the programme in 2004, close to $1bn in loans and grants have been sourced by the Federal Government from the World Bank, African Development Bank, French Development Agency, European Union, USAID and Islamic Development Bank for its implementation in 12 states “The level of success being recorded in the implementation of the programme has given us the confidence to plan and support the process of up-scaling it to cover water supply and irrigation development in additional 12 states and two River Basin Development Authority. When the on-going process matures, additional facilities of about $1bn will be further sourced from the partners.” Ochekpe, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Daniel Dauda, explained that the loan obtained in 2004 was primarily to boost infrastructure in 12 states. According to her, the programme would improve access to potable water supply by the citizens. She said it would also enhance the performances of the state water agencies for sustainable service delivery. The government, she said, would monitor and evaluate the programme closely to ensure service delivery and success. Ochekpe said, “Let me use this opportunity to call on the governments of the states that are currently on the program to be more proactive through formulation and implementation of necessary action plans that will enhance the achievements of sustainable water service deliver to the citizens of their states.”
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 16:42:49 +0000
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