The Country Director of the French Development Agency, Mr Olivier Delefosse has revealed that Osun is the leading state in Nigeria among the five states the agency partnered with on socio-economic and infrastructure development in the country.
Delefosse said Osun has performed creditably well and that the state has met the agency’s expectation on the rural road construction scheme tagged; Osun Rural Access Mobility Project, O’RAMP which the agency partnered the state on.
The French Envoy gave Osun the pass-mark when he and his team paid a courtesy call on Governor Rauf Aregbesola in his office, at the State Government Secretariat.
Delefosse said his visit to Osun has exposed him to the high level of commitment displayed by the present administration led by Aregbesola has made to turn Osun to a centre of infrastructure development in Nigeria, particularly in the Southwest region.
The French envoy who had earlier toured the already completed projects commended the Osun government for abiding by the dictates of the partnership.
He said Osun has demonstrated high sense of commitment to human and capital development as being reflected in the achievements made by the state in various sectors, especially infrastructure.
Delefosse expressed the agency’s determination and readiness to further partner Osun on different life-changing programmes, noting that Osun has really made the agency proud in the partnership it entered with her.
“The goal of this visit to Osun is to seek further partnership between the state and the French Development Agency because sincerely we are proud of your optimum delivery on the partnered projects we have had with you.
“We are also delighted in the fact that you don’t joke with the payment of your counterpart funds whenever it is needed and this has made the projects meant for Osun to have seamless implementation.
“We are very proud because we have seen a lot on ground, we have gone round to inspect the first phase of the RAMP that covered 225km roads already completed across the rural areas in this state and I must tell you frankly that your team has delivered.
”I know that RAMP is a project taking place in about five states in Nigeria and I must say that out of those states I have visited, Osun takes the lead in terms of timely execution and quality project delivery”, Delefosse stated.
The French envoy who commended the resilient spirit of Governor Aregbesola to deliver the dividends of democracy to his people despite the financial challenges most state governments are facing in the country, said Osun has witnessed geometric progression under Aregbesola’s watch.
He attributed sincerity of purpose in governance as sine qua non to engender all round growth and development, stressing that the success of any government lies in its ability to deliver on the people’s expectations.
He added, “ I have seen in the Governor the sincere spirit to good governance as this has been exhibited in the myriads of developmental projects the state had witnessed so far.
”It is worthy of mention that despite your meager budget you are still able to deliver, I am happy to know that projects are delivered despite lack of funds, this is commendable.
“This can only be made possible by a leader who truly has the love of his people at heart as this has made me to explore with the state new opportunities our agency want to develop that would bring more productive and beneficial relationship.
”We are involved in power generation and transmission and we will like to partner with the state in this regard just as we are also interested in urban development and in the area of solid waste.
”The AFD is also interested in developing small farmers and farming through irrigation as well as helping small and medium enterprises SMEs to grow, we are ready to partner with you in these areas because we have seen in you the sincerity to give your people a good life”.
In his remarks, Governor Aregbesola commended the agency for entrusting the state to accomplish her dreams with the success it made on the bilateral relationship.
Aregbesola enumerated some of the successes his administration had made on various sectors particularly infrastructure, describing the state/ AFD’s partnership as most beneficial and rewarding in the history of the state.
