CÀ MAU — The southernmost province of Cà Mau is taking measures to speed up projects funded with Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The province has 23 ODA-funded projects with total investment capital of VNĐ4.5 trillion (US$193 million), with VNĐ3.2 trillion ($138 million) coming from ODA and the rest from reciprocal capital from the Government.

Seventeen of those projects have been completed and put into use.

A total of more than VNĐ2.76 trillion ($119 million) of investment capital was disbursed last year.

Thanks to effective governance and use of investment capital, the projects have contributed to economic growth, and improved rural infrastructure as well as the quality of education and healthcare in the area.

However, some ODA projects are lagging behind schedule due sluggish land clearance and compensation, and problems with construction designs and initial cost underestimates.

This has led to an increase in total investment costs for these projects.

Secretary of the Province’s Party Committee, Dương Thanh Bình, has petitioned ministries and sectors from the central government level to clearly define the responsibilities for directing these projects.

He said the central Government should allocate capital for the construction of a bypass around Cà Mau City and the expansion of Cà Mau General Hospital. The hospital also needs at least 1,200 beds.

Capital allocation for the 2016-2020 period includes a project to upgrade a 2.5km section of National Highway No 63 crossing inner areas in Cà Mau City, and a project on restoration of coastal mangrove forests in Kiên Giang and Cà Mau provinces.

Despite these difficulties, Cà Mau invested additional capital of VNĐ851 billion ($36.6 million) as counterpart funds for ODA projects for the 2011-2016 period. This has made a positive contribution in speeding up the implementation of ODA projects in the province. — VNS