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Lack of implementation of IFAD programmes caused by failure in payment of counterpart funds – Ogbin

By David Abellegah on December 27, 2012

The Cross-River state Programme Officer for International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), Mr Innocent Ogbin, yesterday said the State government has accessed about 447,000 dollars from IFAD since 2006.

Speaking to reporters during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar, he said the amount was just 40 per cent of the total sum.

He however regretted the lack of timely payment of counterpart funds from contributing partners, which he said was accountable for the shortcomings noticed in the execution of the state’s IFAD programmes.

In his words, “So far, we have been able to draw down 447,000 dollars from IFAD to date and that is just over 40 per cent. We still have more than over 50 per cent yet to draw.

“And the reason is because of low commitment in terms of counterpart funding, ‘’ he said.

He mentioned N154 million as the total amount of money the state government has spent just on counterpart funding between 2006 and 2011.

Ogbin however confessed that the State Government has not paid for the year 2012.

“The state is doing very well, the state’s yearly contribution is N45 million, which they have paid up to 2011, as at today, the state is 75 per cent compliant.

“Nevertheless the huge challenge lies with the local government councils. Incidentally, this takes about 45 per cent of the entire project funding.

“So you can agree that if you take away 45 per cent funding in the project, the remaining 55 per cent cannot complete the project. That is a huge challenge, ‘’ Ogbin said.

He disclosed that the parties have reached an agreement that the funds should be deducted from accounts of the nine councils involved in the project.

he further affirmed thus, “But now we have been able to get the commitment of local government councils involved. In addition, they are in line with the agreement that this fund should be deducted from their allocations.

“We hope that by the first quarters of 2013, these funds would be paid, ‘’ Ogbin said.

Ogbin said his office has worked out modalities of taxing the communities benefiting from the program just to make up for the counterpart funds.

Adding, he said that irrespective of the fact that the councils are experiencing problems, they are still behind them, asking for more projects.

“The councils are equally asking for expansions of the projects to more communities which we had recommended in the last review mission” he had concluded.

benefiting from the program just to make up for the counterpart funds.

Adding, he said that irrespective of the fact that the councils are experiencing problems, they are still behind them, asking for more projects.

“The councils are equally asking for expansions of the projects to more communities which we had recommended in the last review mission” he had concluded.

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