By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

LAGOS — The World Bank has earmarked $158 million, approximately N23.7 billion, for the implementation of agricultural projects in Lagos and four other states of the federation.

The other states are Kano, Kaduna, Enugu and Cross River.

Dr. Lucas Akapa, the World Bank project monitoring team leader, who disclosed this during a working visit to Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Chief Enock Ajiboso, told his host that the money would be disbursed over a period of five years

Akapa, however, tasked the five benefitting states, currently executing World bank-assisted Commercial Agriculture Development Project, CADP, to speed up infrastructural development to ensure that the project achieved its objectives.

Dissatisfied with the slow pace of implementation of the project, he said the project was designed to be beneficiary-oriented and aimed at achieving sustainability through the involvement of organised associations and the public.

His words: “Actually, the project is making progress towards achieving its developmental objective, because when a project starts you need time to prepare the ground to move. The staff members for the five states are in place, offices are in place and the project has two components, the first relate to production and commercialisation, while the other component relates to infrastructure.”

Responding, Ajiboso reiterated the state government’s commitment to the project, saying the commitment was further demonstrated in the unanimous vote by the State Executive Council for the approval of N168 million for the 2010 counterpart contribution to the project.