The Cross River State Commissioner for International Donor Coordination, Elder Dr. Hippolatus Ogar Lukpata, has reaffirmed that Governor Bassey Otu is both deliberate and strategic in pursuing development-driven policies aimed at ensuring balanced growth across all parts of the state.
Dr. Lukpata made this known during a stakeholders’ engagement to review development partners’ interventions and strengthen accountability mechanisms for the 2025 fiscal year. He explained that the session was designed to motivate development partners and help them assess whether records of financial inflows and project interventions had been properly documented in line with accountability standards.
“The administration of His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, values the contributions of development partners and is ready to provide the necessary support and enabling environment for the implementation of their interventions in various sectors,” the commissioner said.
He noted that while many donor-supported programmes had recorded significant successes across the state, several achievements remained poorly documented. According to Lukpata, some projects and programmes had failed to submit details of funds received from their sponsors to the ministry.
“A lot of successes have been recorded, but the reports are not properly documented because some programmes and projects resist submitting the amount they received as sponsorship from their founders to the ministry for no reason,” he stated.
Lukpata stressed that proper documentation and coordination are critical to sustainable development planning. He called on organisations yet to comply with reporting procedures to change their mindset and see themselves as partners in the state’s development efforts.
“We are all co-labourers in the progress of Cross River State. Those who think it is not necessary to report their drawdown should reconsider and align with the coordination framework of the ministry,” he added.
The commissioner also highlighted various projects that complied with the ministry’s reporting requirements and reiterated that the 2005 Abuja Aid Coordination Declaration places implementing states at the centre of development coordination, making it mandatory for donor-supported programmes to align their interventions with state government priorities.
“The 2005 Abuja Aid Coordination Declaration puts implementing states in the driver’s seat, making it compulsory for programmes and projects to align their interventions with state priorities,” he said.
In his remarks, the Alternate Chairman and General Manager of the Community and Social Development Agency, Mr. Collins Edet, described the ministry’s report as highly motivational and beneficial to development planning.
“The report from MIDC is very motivational. Development partners should be more committed to the coordination mandate of the ministry because it will enhance mutual benefits,” Edet said.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Balingwo Ofegobi, disclosed that the ministry’s website remains open for stakeholders and partners to submit only verified and certified information for official documentation and publication.
“Our website is available, and members are free to send in only certified information for publishing. Credible documentation is essential for accountability and transparency,” Ofegobi stated.
Highlights of the engagement included presentations by APPEARS, KNCV, and the Ministry of International Donor Coordination (MIDC), with over 33 stakeholders and representatives of various development partners in attendance.
By Iloke Egbe
