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The country director of the World Bank in Nigeria, Onno Ruhle,
said yesterday that only states that meet pre-conditions for accessing the
bank’s loan, such as a vision with clear goals of what the money is for, would
qualify for such loan.

Mr. Ruhl, who led a team from the World bank for an assessment visit
to Abia State to ascertain its qualification for a $200million loan it is
seeking, said a key objective of the visit was to find ways to accelerate the
partnership between the state government and the Bank to ensure that results
are achieved.

The country director, who also said the team has noted some
progress in the state in some of the key areas, said what the state government
was able to achieve in the past would be a factor in determining whether the
loan will be granted or not. The World Bank loan has a repayment period of
about 40 years.

Receiving the delegation at the Government House, Umuahia, the
state’s governor, Theodore Orji, said the loan it is seeking from World Bank
would be used to execute projects and programmes that would have direct bearing
on the lives of people of the state.

“The state government had done its homework to determine
specific areas that the funds will be channelled into if granted,” he said, and
assured that the loan would be used in such a manner that future generations
would benefit from it.

Qualified for loan

The governor said the visit of the World Bank team afforded them
the opportunity to see things for themselves, and decide whether to grant the
loan to the state or not.

“Our state is qualified for the loan,” Mr Orji said, adding that
the state government feels safer to partner with the World Bank than local
banks.

“Previous partnership with the World Bank, particularly in Abia
State community and social development projects, has been rewarding,” he said.