Lagos State Government, yesterday, reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability in the implementation of $500 million Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) and Governance Programme in the state.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who stated this in his address during a public sensitisation and presentation of Lagos State’s significant strides in the ongoing implementation of the HOPE programme activities in governance, primary health and basic education held at the Lagos House Marina, said his administration from inception had laid emphasis on transparency and efficient management of investments for citizens’ benefits.

The initiative is a $500 million facility supported by the World Bank, the Federal Government and it is being implemented across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to address bottlenecks in service delivery, particularly in the health, education and governance sectors.

Sanwo-Olu expressed satisfaction with the strides recorded so far, noting that the state has adopted the HOPE framework to strengthen its capital management systems, while shifting from input-based spending to outcome-driven performance.

“So, for us in Lagos, this programme is about people, it’s about our city, about ensuring that the child has access to the right learning materials and the mother can receive quality care at our primary health institution without heavy financial burden.”

Sanwo-Olu added that in the area of primary healthcare, the administration had continued to scale up access and quality healthcare.

The World Bank Specialist Engineer, Akin Onimole, said, ”As a procurement specialist in the World Bank, his focus often lies in the mechanism of development systems, the transparency and efficiency with which resources are converted into results.”

“However, what we are celebrating today goes beyond mere processes. We are celebrating the tangible impact of reform on the lives of the people of Lagos State. The HOPE programme was designed to tackle the systemic bottlenecks that often hinder service delivery in the education and the health sectors. From a procurement and systems perspective, Lagos State has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to the programme’s core mandate.”

Earlier, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Ope George, said the core objectives of the HOPE project is to strengthen financial and human resource management and improve service delivery in health, education, and in governance.

“So, it’s a $500 million national initiative using the programme for result instruments where funds are dispersed often to achieve this possible linked result.

“And it serves for us as a vital system for us to drive public financial management reforms, transparency and data-driven governance.

“We’ve ensured that the prudent allocation of public resources have been provided to enable the framework to support our broader human capital objectives.”