By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Nasir Idris has said that his administration is working to bring development partners under one roof.
He disclosed this while flagging-off a meeting with representatives of development partners across the country held at the Cabinet Office in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
The meeting according to Ahmed Idris, his Chief Press Secretary, is aimed at strengthening the working relationship between the state government and the development partners towards bringing more development to the state.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Sen. Umar Tafida Arugungu, said that the essence of the meeting was for government to achieve some specific objectives to include; improving resource mobilisation, allocation, harmonisation and utilisation to avoid duplications and double or multi-dipping by beneficiaries.
The meeting, he said, would promote partnerships and investments in social, community and human capital developmental projects; scrutinising and earmarking spending approvals of projects, timely provision of counterpart funding, improving inclusive governance especially at the community level.
The governor added that the meeting would pave way for strategic data collection and analysis, while the development partners shall relate with relevant MDAs and community structures across the state to ensure effective implementation of donor-driven and people oriented interventions.
“Now with this development the office of Special Adviser (SA), Donor Projects Co-ordination should be established which is in line with best practices.
“The Donor Projects Co-ordination Office under the office of the Executive Governor will be overseen by the SA to the Governor on International Donor Agencies, providing the roles of coordinating and focal office,” he said.
He pointed out that the present government had serious concern for development of the state in all sectors.
In his remarks, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Yakubu Bala (Tafidan Yauri), who was represented by the Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Sufyanu Garba Bena assured the participants that the present administration would work out modalities to make all partnerships work for the benefit of present and future generations.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on International Donor Agencies, Hon (Dr) Usman Buhari Ali Gwandu called for a review of development partners’ activities, policies and frameworks and called on putting opportunities support services to provide capacity development and institutional strengthening.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Aisha Usman observed that many partners were working in Kebbi in the areas of health and health related interventions, agriculture, malaria, tuberculosis, water and sanitation among others.
“Most of these interventions are complementary, the state has to play its own part for any meaningful impact to be felt. We therefore call on the state government to fulfil its own part of the bargain for 100% results to be obtained” she said.
The meeting was attended by Special Advisers, Alhaji Kabiru Labbo Jega (Finance) and Alhaji Muhammad Arzika Dakingari (Revenue Generation) as well as Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammad Ilyasu Bashir, represented by the Wazirin Gwandu, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar.
Others were; development partners, donor organisations, non-governmental organisations and business membership organisations from across the state.
