The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced that Delta State had been selected as innovation and acceleration hub of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in South-South.

The Senior Economic Adviser to UNDP, Dr Amarakoon Bandara, disclosed this at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop organised by the Directorate of Sustainable Development Goals, Governor’s Office, Asaba, and Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs in collaboration with UNDP.

Bandara explained that Delta was chosen for the UNDP’s innovation and accelerator because of its sustained commitment towards the realisation of the SDGs.

He said that the state was far better than most states in North East and the Middle Belt in terms of development of infrastructure, adding that the southern part of the country was also faring well in that regard.

He advised stakeholders in the country to collaborate on SDGs, pointing out that working alone was not going to work at all.

“We have to work together to be able to achieve the goals. Working alone is not going to work at all. We need to have this partnership because everybody has a role to play in the realisation of the goals,” Badara said.

Earlier in his speech, Director-General of SDGs in the state, Dr Andy Ilabor, said that the training programme was aimed at helping the state to chart a new course that would enable it deliver on SDGs matters.

Ilabor thanked the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs and the development partners for giving vent to the realisation of possibilities through the stakeholders’ consultations and training workshop.

“Delta State is humbled by its choice for the hosting of the South-South SDGs Innovation and Accelerator Hub with the focus on addressing and building the capacity of duty bearers and right holders, utilisation of innovative solutions and expansion of financing to accelerate achievements of SDGs in the zone.

“In view of the importance attached to this programme of action, the State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has graciously given nod to the establishment of the Innovation and Accelerator Hub,” the DG said and expressed hope that available facilities would meet the UNDP SDGs’ need.

In his goodwill message, Commissioner for Works in charge of Urban Roads, Mr Noel Omodon, who lauded the UNDP for upgrading the SDGs office in the state to a regional Innovation and Accelerator Hub, urged participants at the training to invest their time to enable them have a wonderful outcome at the end.

Also speaking, Secretary to the State Government, Chief Patrick Ukah, who was represented by the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Mr Onyeluka Igbonoba, lauded organisers of the programme for putting the workshop in place.

Ukah said that the 17 targets (goals) of the SDGs revolved around man, saying “if we can achieve about 30 to 40 per cent of the targets, the world will be a better place for humanity.”

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