The Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Dr. Kingsley Emu, has said that as part of deliberate strategies to ensure the sustainability of SEEFOR programme, the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration would mainstream the SEEFOR development template into the state budget.
Dr. Emu, who made the disclosure in Asaba when the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Samson Odewala and the National Project Coordinator of the SEEFOR Project, Mr. Tunde Lawal paid him a courtesy visit as part of two days visit to the state.
He also lauded the World Bank, and the European Union for their partnership with the State Government in driving development in the state, maintaining that the SEEFOR programme was in consonance with the SMART agenda of Delta State Government, anchored on job creation through empowerment of the teeming jobless youths.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Abuja, Mr. Samson Odewala, urged Delta State Government to fashion out critical measures of ensuring the sustainability of the SEEFOR programme in the state, adding that as part of measures to sustain the programme there was need for private sector involvement.
Mr. Odewala noted that the programme would exit in 2019 and that the Delta SEEFOR project was rated the best implementing state in the league of benefitting states in Nigeria.
He said they were in the state to assess the level of the implementation of SEEFOR Projects in the state so as to evaluate the reality of what was being read on newspapers concerning the achievements of Delta SEEFOR and applauded the SEEFOR team in the state led by the former Project Coordinator, Mr. Benson Ojoko for the uncommon achievements.
He however enjoined the new Project Coordinator, Mr. Frank Apokwu to consolidate on the success recorded so far.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen, the National Project Coordinator, SEEFOR Project, Mr. Tunde Lawal said ‘’We have seen that Delta State Government has since surpassed the laid down target in all the components of this intervention programme and it is obvious that beneficiaries in all the communities are asking for more’’ .
While describing Delta SEEFOR as second to none, Mr. Lawal stressed on the need for sustainability of the programme.
Highpoint of the visit was a first hand inspection tour of some SEEFOR projects executed in various communities across the state.
