By Boluwaji Obahopo

LOKOJA—Kogi State government has said it review all projects executed by previous administration under the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, now known as Sustainable Development Goal, SDGs.

Special Adviser to the governor on SDGs, Mumuni Okara stated this yesterday in Lokoja while speaking with newsmen.

Mumuni who said it became imperative to review such projects, noted that the state government had taken a cursory look at those projects and realised that most of them did not meet the needs of the communities they were cited in.

He also noted that the non-involvement of the communities at the planning and execution stages had led to unattainable MDGs goals in the past.

According to him: “There is disconnect between the communities and those in the MDGs who planned those projects. Most often, the communities were not even aware of those projects and so don’t use it.

“If we failed to ask the communities of their needs we end up giving them what we want and not what they need. This government has identified that, and we have earmarked ways to address such situation.

“For this, the state government had asked for list of all contract awarded and beneficiaries, whether completed, ongoing, or abandoned, with details of present status and level of payments; with a view to review it and make a proper plan that will meet the needs of the communities”.

Mumuni added that the state government would embark on community and town hall meeting as well as involve critical stakeholders especially the traditional institution and community unions to prioritise their projects for the communities.