Delta State Government is to spend one billion naira annually to execute Millennium Development Goal (MDG) projects in the state.
Besides, the State Government is determined to meet the set targets under the MDG by the end of the current administration in 2015.
The state governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan who stated this yesterday during a National Advocacy and Sensitization Town Hall meeting in Asaba, said that there was no going back on the set targets.
According to him, the state government has already executed eighty two solar/motorized water schemes in various communities in the state in addition to other projects and programmes .
Dr Uduaghan promised to sustain the tempo of development under the MDG programme and directed local government councils in the state to participate actively in the programme so that the target envisaged could be realized.
He explained that if the programme was jointly and vigorously pursued by the state and local governments the impact of success on the people would be tremendous.
The governor who said MDG programme was not about awarding contracts alone emphasized the need for projects to be religiously executed so that the living standard of the people could be improved.
His words “MDG programme is not about awarding contract alone but about the commitment towards the execution of the contracts to improve the living standard of the people”
He disclosed that the selection of three local government councils in the state by the Federal government namely Ukwuani, Warri South and Ethiope West for the implementation of MDG programme was not political.
Dr. Uduaghan said the selection process was based on the guidelines and feasibility studies conduted by the Federal government, stressing that it was beyond the control of the State Government.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDG, Dr Mrs. Precious Gbeneol in her remarks announced that the Federal government has disbursed the sum of N1.2 billion to Delta state government for execution of MDG programmes.
Dr Gbeneol therefore enjoined States of the Federation to utilize funds earmarked for MDG programmes within the financial year so that the funds would not elapse.
She advocated for the prompt utilization of funds emphasizing that there should be no delays.
Her words “Let the fund for 2012 be used to execute projects in 2012 and therefore all states should fast track development in their areas”.
The senior Special Assistant promised that the Federal government would work in synergy with Delta state government to impact positively on the lives of the rural and urban populace.
The Delta State Commissioner for MDG, Queen Mother Victoria Ikenchukwu announced that the state government has provided through the MDG programme 50 maternity labour wards and 62 medical staff quarters in the state.
Queen Mother Ikechukwu also announced that the state has provided six skills acquisition centres in three Senatorial districts, 670,000 doses of anti-malaria drugs as well as 550,000 units of long lasting insecticide treated nets.
She also disclosed that through the MDG programme 20,000 special delivery packs with complete labour maternity kits were distributed to pregnant women free.
The Commissioner who called on Deltans to respond and embrace all MDG programmes said the programme were not about government but about the people who are the beneficiaries.
