Eno Okays N450m World Bank’s Counterpart Funding for Women Project

 Okon Bassey in Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr.  Umo Eno, has approved the release of N450 million as the state counterpart funding for the Nigeria For Women (NFW) Project, a World Bank project that is targeted at empowering rural women in the  state.

Governor Eno announced this when he hosted a World Bank delegation led by its Country Director for Nigeria, Mr. Shudham Chaudhury, at Government House, Uyo, during the weekend.

The governor expressed the determination of his administration to partner the World Bank in priority areas of agriculture and rural development.

He explained that the initiative became necessary as the vision connects with his administration’s ‘ARISE Agenda’ blueprint.

“Most of the programmes complement our ARISE Agenda. We are willing to work with you to ensure that we continue to scale up where necessary.

“For now, agriculture is the key thing the blueprint addresses. We can work with World Bank, to scale up agricultural potentials and guarantee food security in the state,” he stressed.

Eno said that the state would make effort to close the gaps in the existing projects and explore more areas of partnership with the global financial institution for sustainable development that would impacts on Akwa Ibom people.

He said: “This visit has really thrown a lot of light on World Bank projects in Akwa Ibom and I must say that in my five months in office, this is the first time I am getting such briefing on World Bank projects that we are doing.

“Listening to you in this meeting affords us, particularly I, the privilege of having an understanding of how these things operate. We can assure you that we will close the gaps and by the time you do your next assessment, you will see us moving very fast.

“On the N450 million that was supposed to be contributed, I know I have given the approval and I can tell you that in the next one week, we will disburse it.”

Responding, the World Bank Country Director, Mr. Shudham Chaudhury, said his visit was aimed at sharing knowledge with the state government and to give the overview of World Bank’s effort and support to Nigeria in furthering the development of the nation and sub-nationals.