Ajimobi to FG: Stop selective implementation of World Bank-assisted RAM Projects to states

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By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Thursday asked the Federal Government to give all the 36 states in the country opportunity in the implementation of the World Bank-assisted Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP).
Welcoming the National Coordinator of the project, Mr. Ubandoma Ularamu, to his office, the governor cautioned against selective implementation of the World Bank-assisted Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) among the 36 states of the federation.
The governor pointed out that all the rural areas in the country without exception were in dire need of attention, saying, the project should be all-inclusive to accommodate the 36 states of the federation in view of the inherent benefits.
“If you really want to develop the rural areas, all states must be given the opportunity. The Federal Government should extend it to all states without exception. I’m stating this for emphasis that there should be no exception; all states should benefit” he said.
Commending the Federal government for revitalizing the programme which he said remained answer to rural-urban drift occasioned by poor access roads and lack of other social amenities in the interiors,
he said,”but, if other states could meet the criteria, Oyo State will definitely meet them for its smooth take-off. We are very willing and ready to log on to this programme so that our rural dwellers can have improved living standards.”
Governor Ajimobi while describing RAMP as a laudable initiative capable of opening up the rural areas through construction of access roads said,”Oyo State has the best arable land in sub-Saharan Africa, with six research institutes not to talk of the population of rural dwellers compared with others”.
“I am pleading that the programme should not be about competition. It should be about ensuring that all states enjoy this facility; it is of right and not about competing for it. I warmly welcome you to the state and let me express my state of happiness about this programme. I should also hint you about my reservation that Oyo state was just being considered to benefit from the project taking into cognizance the number of our rural dwellers”.
Coordinator of the project Mr Ubandoma Ularamu while speaking declared that RAMP was a FG-inspired World Bank-assisted project being used as an implementation strategy for rural dwellers and transportation development policy with its main objective being to develop and maintain the rural transport infrastructure to ensure all-year sustainability of rural roads in the country.
“The RAMP is aimed at bringing about enhanced productive capacity and rapid development of the rural areas and the improvement of the living standards of its dwellers through the provision of improved and efficient rural transport infrastructure necessary for economic and social development. We want to institutionalize the capacity and culture at all tiers of government for coordination, construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of rural road network that will ensure all-year-round accessibility and mobility, thereby contributing to sustainable rural transformation and poverty reduction.”

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