FG pushes states to sign $500m World Bank-backed governance programme

The Federal Government is intensifying efforts to get all 36 States to sign onto a $500m World Bank-assisted Hope governance programme, warning that delays in finalising key agreements could stall reforms in basic education and primary healthcare.

The HOPE Governance Programme is a $500 million World Bank-assisted initiative domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, aimed at promoting good governance in the administration of basic education and primary healthcare in Nigeria.

Deborah Odoh, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, stated that the Ministry is collaborating closely with the Federal Ministry of Finance to ensure that all 36 States of the Federation sign the Subsidiary Loan Agreement that would enable them to participate in and benefit from the Programme.

Odoh stated this when she received the HOPE Governance Team from the World Bank on a courtesy visit to her Office, according to a statement by Joe Mutah, Communications Officer, HOPE Governance Programme on Thursday.

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“We will put in extra efforts to make it happen even faster given the time constraints. We have a timeline drawn up recently to achieve this,” she said.

The permanent secretary pledged to provide all the necessary institutional support to ensure that HOPE Governance delivers significant impact across the Country.

Ikechukwu Nweje, the World Bank Task Team Leader, HOPE Governance Programme, had earlier appealed to the Permanent Secretary to utilise all available channels within the Ministry to engage state governments and secure the signing of the Agreement, thereby enabling them to access funds under the Program upon verification of the Disbursement-Linked Results.

“However you can help us to fast track these processes, this will really be appreciated to get this program up and running in terms of disbursement,” he said.

He stressed that governance remains a key challenge to improved service delivery in the basic education and primary healthcare sectors, which is why the Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Bank, has initiated the HOPE Governance Program to address the issue.

“If the governance part fails, we will continue to have the same problems we are having on the sectoral side. That is why the ministers prioritised governance because they found out that governance is the issue in the two sectors that will help to unlock the ability to deliver results,” he stated.

Assad Hassan, the National Coordinator of the HOPE Governance Program stated that the meeting was convened with the World Bank to apprise the Permanent Secretary of the milestones recorded and the challenges encountered in the implementation of the Program so far.