Ekiti: World Bank to execute $55m water projects in the next six years.

Ekiti State Government and the World Bank are to rehabili­tate water projects in the state with the sum of $55 million in the next six years.

The projects, being led by the World Bank, will be under the Third Urban Wa­ter Sector Reform Project.

In a press release by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the World Bank team led by Mr. Pier Man­tovani, met Governor Ayodele Fayose in his office on the matter.


In his remarks, Governor Fayose said the state was ready to do its own side of the bargain by providing the counterpart fund of $5 million, but warned against sidelining the state government in the ex­ecution of the project.

The governor said his administration would provide the needed political will to drive the project, and called for adequate sensitisation of the public about the re­forms that would accompany the project.

“For any project to succeed you need the commitment and political will of the man at the helms of affairs. When that is done, the project is 50 per cent success­ful. We are going to provide that.

“When the European Union came about 10 years ago for rural water proj­ects, I was in office then and did what was necessary and the project did not go beyond where I left it. Part of the project, the Ikere Water Scheme, was completed about three weeks ago.

“Iyin is next and we have started meet­ing the people of the town. Projects must not be left in the hands of those who don’t have the commitment. I will support the project and will be with you every sec­ond. Generating water is not as important as the people owning the project,” he said.