Amarakoon Bandara, senior economic adviser to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), yesterday, explained that the UNDP chose Delta State as the innovation and acceleration hub for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the South-South owing to its commitment.
According to him, the state has sustained commitment towards the realisation of the SDGs.
Bandara, made the disclosure at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop organised by the directorate of SDGs, governor’s office, Asaba, and Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs in collaboration with UNDP.
He said that the state was far better than most states in the North East and the Middle Belt in terms of development of infrastructure, adding that the southern part of the country was also faring well in that regard.
He advised stakeholders in the country to collaborate on SDGs, pointing out that working alone was not going to work at all.
“We have to work together to be able to achieve our goals. Working alone is not going to work at all. We need to have this partnership because everybody has a role to play in the realisation of the goals,” Bandara said.
Andy Ilabor, director-general of SDGs in the state, had earlier in his speech, said that the training programme was aimed at helping the state to chart a new course that would enable it deliver on SDGs matters.
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Ilabor thanked the senior special assistant to the President on SDGs and the development partners for giving vent to the realisation of possibilities through the stakeholders’ consultations and training workshop.
“Delta State is humbled by its choice for the hosting of the South-South SDGs Innovation and Accelerator Hub with the focus on addressing and building the capacity of duty bearers and right holders, utilisation of innovative solutions and expansion of financing to accelerate achievements of SDGs in the zone.
“In view of the importance attached to this programme of action, the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has graciously given nod to the establishment of the Innovation and Accelerator Hub,” the DG said and expressed hope that available facilities would meet the UNDP SDGs’ need.
In his goodwill message, Noel Omodon, commissioner for works in charge of urban roads, who lauded the UNDP for upgrading the SDGs office in the state to a regional Innovation and Accelerator Hub, urged participants at the training to invest their time to enable them have a wonderful outcome at the end.
Also speaking, Patrick Ukah, secretary to the state government (SSG), who was represented by Onyeluka Igbonoba, the executive assistant to the governor on special duties, lauded organisers of the programme for putting the workshop in place.
Ukah said that the 17 targets (goals) of the SDGs revolved around man, saying “if we can achieve about 30 to 40 per cent of the targets, the world will be a better place for humanity.”
