Rs18bn being spent on sewerage, water supply, Nigerian team told

LAHORE:A 22-member Nigerian delegation visited the Punjab Municipal Development Fund Company (PMDFC) here on Monday and discussed matters of mutual interests. The members of delegation were impressed with the working of PMDFC.

The Nigerian delegation included governors, federal coordinators, commissioners and senior officers from three states in Nigeria, including Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, Executive Governor of Borno state, Ahmadu Umaru, Executive Governor of Adamawa state, and Hon. Mai Mala Buni, Chiroman Gujba, Executive Governor of Yobe states, as well as Dr M Alhaji, the Federal Coordinator Nigeria.

The project director of the ongoing multi-sectoral crisis recovery project in Nigeria under the World Bank and other senior officers were also part of the delegation. Parvez Iqbal, Architect Planner, Chairman PMDFC and Shafi Arshad member board and other senior officers from PMDFC were also present.

Chairman PMDFC welcomed the participants of the delegation while the MD briefed about the various projects of the company. PMDFC Chief Officer Syed Zahid Aziz on this occasion told the delegation that the company under the World Bank-funded Punjab Cities Programme (PCP) was spending more than Rs18 billion on sewage, water supply, while many projects of roads, parks and solid waste machinery have been completed successfully.

With the successful completion of these projects, better municipal service delivery to the citizens will be ensured, he said adding under the Punjab Cities Programme, underground water storage tanks were being built for rainwater in four cities while under the company, UNICEF-funded floating wetlands project has been successfully completed and now being extended to other cities.

Zahid Aziz told the delegation that under the GIZE-funded project, the efficiency of the local governments of Lahore, Sheikhupura, Jhelum, and Toba Tek Singh was being improved. During the meeting, a special video prepared on PCP was also shown to the participants. Speaking on the occasion, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, said that Pakistan and Nigeria shared the same problems of terrorism and natural disasters.

The World Bank-funded Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Project (MCRP) was ongoing in Nigeria and in this regard PMDFC's experiences and mutual cooperation regarding municipal services infrastructure and services will prove to be very beneficial for us.

On this occasion, Ahmadu Umaru, and Hon. Mai Mala Buni also expressed their views and described the visit of PMDFC as very informative and expressed the desire for continued mutual discussion so that both countries can learn from each other to provide better municipal services to the people. At the end of the ceremony, commemorative cultural souvenirs were also presented to the participants of the delegation.