OBI SAYS ANAMBRA TO STRENGHTEN RELATIONSHIP WITH WORLD BANK

OBI SAYS ANAMBRA TO STRENGHTEN RELATIONSHIP WITH WORLD BANK, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

Governor Peter Obi says that Anambra State under his leadership will do everything possible to promote the positive attributes of the state at all times, including enhancing its relationship with the World Bank and other international organizations. He stated this today after the state signed a memorandum of understanding with the World Bank on erosion control and improving education in the state.

Shortly before the signing ceremony, officials from the World Bank led by its Country Director, Marie Francoise Nelly and officials of Anambra State led by Governor Peter Obi evaluated the activities of the World Bank in the state and expressed satisfaction with them.

At the ceremony which took place at office of the Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo – Iweala, Governor Obi said he was aware the support Anambra enjoyed from international organizations was the result of their approval of the new order in the state revolving around allowing assistance meant for the people of the state get down to them. Obi expressed the hope that God will give the state somebody better than himself that will take it to greater heights. The Governor signed for the state while the Finance Minister, whose office midwifed the pact signed for the federal government.

After the endorsements, the state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Professor Chinyere Okunna expressed satisfaction. Lamenting the menace of erosion in the state, Professor Okunna said Anambra has over 1000 active erosion sites on which the state government had committed billions of naira trying to control. She welcomed the intervention of the World Bank, insisting that the scope of work needed to be done was far beyond the capacity of the state government.

On the memorandum of understanding for support to education in the state, Okunna said it was as a result of the revolution in that sector which the World Bank commissioned Professor Paul Collier and others to study whereupon they recommended adaptation of what Governor Obi was doing by other states and parts of the world facing education crisis.