Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq visits World Bank Country Office, Reviews partnership

Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq visits World Bank Country Office, Reviews partnership 

The Kwara state Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq paid a working visit to the World Bank Country Office in Abuja where he met with the Country Director for Nigeria, Mr. Shubham Chaudhuri.

The purpose of the meeting was to review ongoing World Bank projects in Kwara state and prospects for future partnership as the Governor continues to attract collaborations locally and across the globe.

AbdulRazaq had in the last quarter of 2019 paid counterpart funds that would enable the state access some of the World Bank intervention projects, international agencies and that of the federal government. This includes the payment of outstanding debts incurred by previous administrations such as the one owed the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) that earned the state the 'blacklisted' status for almost 8years. One of such was the payment of 60million Counterpart funds to key into the World Bank-funded Community and Social Development Projects (CSDP), which is targeted at attracting development to rural communities in the state.

The Counterpart payment was to enable Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency (KWCDA) carry out people oriented projects in rural areas and take as many lives as possible out of poverty. It would also enable Kwara access to over N1 billion to implement micro-projects in rural communities.

Governor AbdulRazaq told the World Bank that Kwara is ready for investments and all-round development when he okayed the release of the first tranche of N200 million as Counterpart funds for the takeoff of Rural Access and Agricultural Market Project (RAAMP III) in the state last year, a project which was meant to have kicked off in Kwara as far back as 2017 but the state failed to pay the counterpart funds. This will lead to rehabilitation of rural roads totalling 600 kilometres across the 16 local government areas of Kwara State

RAAMP is a $60 million programme involving at least 13 Nigerian states, funded by the World Bank, French Development Agency and other donor agencies.

The AbdulRazaq led administration has also flagged off a campaign against chronic malnutrition with the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) across the state, ANRiN was officially launched to boost nutrition among children and women.

The ANRiN is another World bank-assisted Project designed to encourage consumption of nutritious food/supplements among the citizens of the participating states, especially pregnant or lactating women and children.

Accelerating Nutrition Results In Nigeria is a key World Bank project which Kwara has already keyed into by promptly paying the first ever Counterpart funds of N50m which will be per year for a period of five years. It is meant to fight malnutrition and stunted growth in children.

All of these World Bank-funded projects that are meant to attract development to not just rural communities but the whole state and provide good nutrition for children and breastfeeding mothers formed part of the Governor's visit to the World Bank Country Office in Abuja for review and also look at prospects for future partnership.

AbdulRazaq is making giant strides that would bridge the infrastructural gap bequeathed to him by the previous administrations and Kwarans are poised to continue to witness economic growth and development especially in the rural areas of the state where the neglect appears to be more prevalent.
[7:25 PM, 3/18/2020] Solace: COVID-19: Kwara to shut schools Monday

I can confirm that Kwara State will be shutting down schools from Monday March 23rd. It is part of the efforts to contain the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. We urge our people to maintain the highest level of hygiene and to remain calm and adhere to all safety measures earlier announced by the Kwara State Ministry of Health and other national bodies.

Further details will be released later.