IF various sectors and agencies continue with the tempo of project delivery and collaboration, Nigeria could meet the eight targets contained in the Millennium Development Goals, (MDGs) by the United Nations, within the next four years.The Ebonyi State focal person for the MDGs, Mrs. Ngozi Obichukwu, who dropped this hint during an exclusive interview with The Guardian in her office, observed that the conditional grants scheme component of the MDGs has proved a most beneficial system for projects design, implementation and delivery.Obichukwu disclosed that through the conditional grants scheme, her office has provided social amenities for rural communities, pointing out that the enlightenment programmes of the state government has enabled rural dwellers to take advantage of such modern amenities like ventilated latrines and health facilities.While rejecting insinuations in certain quarters that interference by some political stakeholders slows down pace of work and affects durability of projects; the focal person contended that distance and terrain of projects sites present the major challenges to her office explaining for instance that drilling of boreholes in certain terrains are often bugged down by coal and other sediments.She added that the conditional grants scheme of the MDG has done much for rural communities, describing it as the best approach in rural development that should be emulated by governments to improve the social well being of citizens.'Meeting the 2015 target remains a very tough challenge to the family of MDGs as a whole in the country. Well, with the new OSAP (Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President) on MDGs, Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbeneol, and the approach she is using now, I think we would go a long way. Now, all efforts are geared towards meeting the target. All hands are on deck and everybody is being gingered to sit up and do the right things.And fund is no longer delayed as before when we used to experience budget release delays. But right now with the collaboration of the National Assembly, especially the Senators; they now push the fund forward while packaging proposal for projects from states are now hastened up. So with this collaborative effort of everybody; everybody trying to ensure that his or her own state is up and doing, I think we will get there by God's grace,' Obichukwu declared.She asserted that her office has been able to ensure that contractors comply with quality and time specification through constant monitoring pointing out that she does not hesitate to terminate the contract of any erring or lagging contractor since according to her every kobo spent must be justified.Her words: 'The Conditional Grants Scheme of the Millennium Development Goals, (MDGs) has proved successful in Ebonyi State through Governor Martin Elechi's support and magnanimous approvals. So far, we have been able to reach the grassroots with so many health facilities, sanitation and water projects. We have been able to construct 63 well-equipped primary healthcare centres as well as complete 39 number Ventilated Improved (VIP) toilets. Additionally, we have also been able to construct 113 motorised boreholes and sixteen small town water scheme. All these have been done across the 13 council areas of the state and they are presently in use.'We are faced with numerous challenges, but the most pressing is especially the terrain and location of these projects.
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