The Bayelsa State Government says its transparency and accountability programmes have started attracting recognition, opportunities and partnerships for sustainable development projects to the state.
The Deputy Governor, Dr Peter Akpe, made this known on Thursday while inaugurating the state Steering and Technical Committees to drive the implementation of the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity Governance programme, popularly known as HOPE-GOV in Government House, Yenagoa.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, the Deputy Governor described HOPE-GOV as a World Bank-assisted four-year rolling programme designed to achieve better financing, management and accountability for basic education and primary healthcare in the state.
Dr Akpe commended the Governor Douye Diri-led Administration for religiously implementing the state transparency and accountability law, noting that the programme and other reform initiatives had positioned the state to benefit from the World Bank and other development partners.
According to him, Bayelsa seems to be the only state in the Nigerian federation that briefs the populace on its finances on a monthly basis, stressing that its financial records were always accessible because of Governor Diri’s insistence on transparency.
He explained that the HOPE-Gov initiative is a performance-for-results programme involving Bayelsa State, the Federal Government, and the World Bank, which is expected to run until 2029.
While charging members of both committees to justify the confidence reposed in them, the Deputy Governor informed that the task before them was quite significant, underscoring the imperative for more effectiveness of financing across the three-result areas of human capacity, prosperity and equity.
His words: “Let me at this point, specifically acknowledge the leadership of His Excellency, the Governor. It is because of his steady reform agenda, his insistence on transparency in public finance, and his deep personal commitment to the welfare of our children, our teachers, and our healthcare workers, that Bayelsa State is today positioned to benefit from this programme.
“The US$5.2 million available for earning in 2025, and the US$8.5 million available in 2026, are not just sums of money. They are a recognition of the credibility our Governor has built for this State, both nationally and internationally.
“The HOPE-Governance is more than an administrative initiative. It is a four-year performance-for-results programme involving Bayelsa State, the Federal Government, and the World Bank. The task before you is significant, but it is clear.
“Across the three result areas of HOPE-GOV, we must increase the availability and effectiveness of financing for our schools, and primary health facilities. We must deepen transparency and accountability in how those resources are managed. And we must improve the recruitment, deployment, and performance of our teachers and frontline health workers.”
The State HOPE-Gov Steering Committee, which is chaired by Governor Douye Diri as Chairman, has the Acting Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr Irorodamie Komonibo as Vice Chairman, while the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Maxwell Ebibai, is to serve as state Programme Lead and Chairman of the Technical Committee.
The Technical Adviser to Governor Diri on Treasury, Accounts and Revenue, Mr. Timipre Seipulou is the Focal Person and Secretary of the technical committee, while the Commissioner for Budget, Mr Flint George; the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Finance, Budget, Local Government, the Accountant General and the state Auditor General are to serve as members.
Other members are the Directors of Treasury, Internal Audit, Final Accounts in the Office of the Accountant General, as well as the Director of Budget, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
Also to serve in the committee are the Director of Human Resources Management, Due Process Bureau; the Director of Multinational and Donor Agencies in the Ministry of Finance, as well as the focal persons of HOPE-Edu (Education) and HOPE-PHC (primary healthcare), and the respective Desk Officers of SUBEB, Primary Healthcare Board, and HOPE-Governance.