From Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammad of Bauchi state has lamented over the huge gap in funding devastating structures caused by insurgency in the North East Region.
Mohammmed made the lamentation yesterday at the Mid Term Review Meeting of the Federal Government and African Development Bank (FG, AFDB) Financed Inclusive Basic Service delivery and livelihood empowerment integrated Programme (IBSDLEIP) in Bauchi.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Ibrahim Kashim, the Governor said despite efforts of government and the loan facility allocation of $44.83 Million by the FG/ AFDB for the IBSDLEIP, “There is a huge gap in funding to address the devastating impact of the insurgency alone”.
“Not to talk of already existing poor Socio-Economic conditions, this becomes more daunting if the current deteriorating and precarious Economic situations continues.
Mohammmed urged the stakeholders to make useful decisions at the Mid term review meeting that will not only address programmatic issues and challenges.
“But also consider the possibility of providing more funding to North East particularly Bauchi state,” Gov Mohammmed said
Earlier, representative of AfDB, Mr John Sifuwa, said the projects were aimed at improving life in communities in the North-East.
He said the bank was executing projects in Gombe State, Bauchi State, Adamawa, Taraba and Borno, adding that the time frame for the projects had been extended by two years.
The initial three years time frame began in 2019 adding that the review meeting would enable the participants to exchange ideas and suggest ways of improvement on project implementation.
On his Part, The Project Manager of the African Development Bank (AFDB) in Bauchi state Malam Garba Magaji said the ongoing developmental projects it is executing in some parts of Bauchi State have reached 85 percent completion stage.
Magaji explained that the bank had set aside N181 Million for the ongoing projects in Bauchi, Azare in Katagum Local Government Area (LGA), Dagauda in Dambam LGA, Duguri in Alkaleri LGA and Mashema in Itas/Gadau LGA.
He said the projects were on water supply and sanitation, education and health, youth empowerment and employment generation, and added that the bank would ensure their timely completion.
He said that the amount spent on the projects was part of the soft credit facility with a moratorium of eight years.
The project manager said that AFDB would execute more projects to cover other areas of needs.
