The timely payment of counterpart funds for European Union (EU) projects and the timely implementation of the projects in Edo State by the Governor Godwin Obaseki administration, received commendation on Monday in Benin City.

The leader of a delegation of the European Union on Niger Delta Support Programme (NDSP), Mr. Kurt Cornelius, said his team was impressed with the high level of commitment of the Edo State Government to the execution of projects under the NDSP and urged other governors to emulate Obaseki.

“Your government is really implementing the proposed reforms in water management, and that is a positive aspect and it is very commendable as well as encouraging,” Cornelius added.

In his response, Obaseki said there was the need to ensure synergy between his administration and the EU on the Niger Delta Support Programme (NDSP) to avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts and guarantee sustainability in water and sanitation as well as in checking illegal migration.

“We must get our donor agencies to work together with us to avoid duplication and waste and ensure that those programmes are tied to our internal programmes and to enable us provide more services for the people,” Obaseki said.

He stressed that he was aware that funding to check the challenge of illegal migration was available and added that his administration was reforming its processes to access the fund and create more opportunities in the state to discourage people from going down the tortuous path of illegal migration.