Six Northeast States to benefit from $250 million ADB intervention

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By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi.
Six Northeast states that include Bauchi are to benefit from a $250 million intervention provided by the African Development Bank‎ (ADB) in order to fast track development of the region.
The other regional states that will benefit from the grant include Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe and Taraba states, according to the leader of the Bank’s delegation, Mrs. Rosemond Offei-Awuku at a stakeholders meeting with representatives of various ministries and government agencies held in Bauchi.
Mrs. Rosemond Offei-Awuku explained that the meeting which discusses various‎ areas of interventions which the money would be disbursed and channeled into, said the grant will enable the bank key into the rebuilding efforts of the Federal Government for the Northeast region.
She explained that out of the amount, $150 million will be channeled into water and sanitation sector while the remaining $100 million will be used for socio-economic interventions in various sectors of economic empowerment like job creation, skills acquisition, among others.
Offei-Awuku said that the grant was reviewed upwards by the bank after other components were added apart from the water, sanitation and hygiene sector.
Bauchi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mohammed Ghali Abdulhamid had in response commended the African Development Bank for the support, recalling the delegation visited the state in November 2015 when it appreciated the state’s government’s effort to improve water supply and hygiene.
According to him, the state government has embarked on a large scale sustainable water supply mechanism and an overall water sector reforms. It also provided N100 million part payment of N300 million counterpart fund to UNICEF after which the balance of N200 million will be paid within the next few months.
Also speaking, the General Manager of Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation‎ Agency (RUWASSA), Engineer Garba Magaji assured that all the stakeholders in the intervention programme are committed and will ensure its success in all sectors.
Magaji also promised that all the stakeholders will also ensure proper utilization of the funds provided by the African Development Bank for the Northeast region.

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