Oyo State relaunches RAAMP to promote agric development, expansion

VON

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says the relaunch of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) in the state will assist its economic expansion through development of the agriculture sector. The Governor made this known during the relaunch of RAAMP and inauguration of the Oyo State Project Monitoring and Technical Steering Committee  held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan.

Oyo govt pays counterpart fund for World Bank project on rural access roads

Source: Business Day

Oyo State Government on Wednesday paid the counterpart fund for Development Partners-backed Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) to ensure accelerated development of the rural communities in the state.

Governor Seyi Makinde who disclosed this at the inauguration of the Project Monitoring and Technical Steering Committee, at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, said that the sum of N350 Million was paid two months into his tenure in office to facilitate the project.

The project, which was instituted in April 2016, had remained moribund as a result of the failure of the state to pay the 12 per cent counterpart fund required by the Development Partners, including the World Bank, the French Development Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB), among others.

The governor stated that RAAMP would ensure quality and durable roads that would open up the rural areas for business.

According to him, “when we came in, we met the RAAM Project almost moribund because Oyo State couldn’t pay its own counterpart fund. Within two and half months of our administration, we provided the counterpart fund and we were able to get the project back on track”.

The project, which was meant to construct, rehabilitate and maintain over 1000 kilometres of rural roads across 33 Local Government Areas and 35 Local Council Development Areas of the state is aimed at linking the state’s Agro-logistic hubs for economic and social development.

Governor Makinde said that the RAAMP is aimed at improving the standard of living of rural dwellers, ease access to transportation and enhance rural participation in economic development.