Delta state set to partner World Bank on job creation

The Delta Government has announced its readiness to seek partnership with the World Bank in funding job creation programmes in the state.

Festus Agas, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), disclosed this Thursday in Asaba when officials of the World Bank and European Union Implementation Support Mission to the state visited him.

Agas said the state government placed a high premium on job and wealth creation, adding that the state’s Employment Expenditure For Result (SEEFOR) intervention scheme had been aligned to the SMART agenda of the government.

SMART, Strategic wealth creation; Meaningful peace building platforms; Agricultural reforms and accelerated industrialisation; Relevant education and health policies and a Transformed environment through urban renewal.

“The SEEFOR project had created employment for over 5,000 youths and more than seventy communities have benefited from its Community Driven Development Social Component,” he said.

According to Agas, over 112 people in the state now have access to socio economic infrastructure under the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration in Delta.

The SSG listed the state government’s achievements under the state Integrated Financial Management Information System (SIFMIS), including the installation of converged infrastructure.

Others are the reconstitution of SIFMIS implementation team and reviewing of legacy SAP licence to a more sustainable 10- year agreement, with the state saving over 8.3 million dollars.

Agas said the state was on track towards achieving its project development objectives and congratulated the World Bank on its position as Africa’s number one on the world’s disbursement score card for 2017 financial year.

Earlier, the leader of the World Bank team, Ismaila Cessay, said the visit was to seek the Delta Government’s support, to assist the state to achieve its developmental goals.

He said the World Bank SEEFOR was completely in alignment with the economic development programmes of Delta towards providing employment for the people through job creation.

Cessay said SEEFOR would continue to partner Delta in the best policy interests for economic stability and to enhance growth and development of the state.

He said activities of SEEFOR in the Niger Delta area included road maintenance, promotion of good environment and the enhancement of skills for the youth.

Responding, the Delta Coordinator for SEEFOR projects, Benson Ojoko, said the World Bank SEEFOR mission, which aligned with Delta Government project, was to support the state in its development.

He assured of the government’s commitment to the actualisation of the objectives of SEEFOR and urged the World Bank to sustain the programme.