ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
The office of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bayelsa State has lamented that lack of funding is making it difficult to carry out its intervention projects and programmes towards achieving its objectives in the state.
The Senior Special Assistant and State Focal Person on SDGs, Dr. Ebiwari Wariowei, made this known on Wednesday during a Roundtable Engagement with heads of media establishments and journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
He lamented that apart from the Bayelsa State government’s 50 per cent conditional scheme, the SDGs office in the state had yet to get funding from any donor agencies.
He, therefore, called for support and partnerships from International Oil Companies (IOCs), international bodies and other well-meaning organisations.
He, however, said that since his assumption of office in 2020, the SDGs under his watch had carried out several intervention projects across the state.
He noted that a 100-bed Mother and Child Hospital built by SDGs was set for inauguration later this month.
He said the media engagement was to forge a new media partnership with SDGs in Bayelsa and beyond to get the solution and resolutions that would enable it to achieve the SDGs goals by the year 2030.
Wariowei said: “We are going to work around but the only assurance for now is that the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, is passionate about the SDGs in the state and whenever we approach him for funds, particularly as its affects our fifty per cent conditional grants scheme, he is always ready to oblige.
“Let it be on record that we have not received any funds from any donor agencies but as it stands now, what we are doing so far is from contributions from the state government alone.
“We are calling on International Oil Companies, well-meaning organisations and international bodies to partner with us so that we can drive the SDGs in Bayelsa State forward.
“We believe that collectively with the media we shall get to the solution and resolutions that will enable us to achieve the SDGs goals by the year 2030.”