By Joke Adeniyi-Jackson
The Kwara State Government has so far disbursed about N700m for the implementation of micro projects since 2016.
No fewer than 213 communities across all the local government areas in the stateย have benefited from projects, facilitated by the Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency (KWCSDA).
This was disclosed by the General Manager, KWCSDA, Alhaji Yahaya Ahmed in his address at a two-day workshop on project sustainability organised by the agency in Ilorin, yesterday.
According to him, about 217 micro projects have been completed while 32 are ongoing across the 16 LGAs in the state.
“The Kwara State Government through the Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency has so far drawdown a total sum of N1billion with over N700m disbursed to communities since 2016,” Ahmed said.
He disclosed that Component Four, which is Gender and Vulnerable Support Group has been included in the Community Driven Investment (CDI) of the Community Social Development Plans (CSDP).
This, he explained is part of the policy change of additional financing, aimed at adequately addressing the issue of vulnerable groups and the voiceless people in the society.
“This is to enhance access of vulnerable groups to facilities and services that will either pull them out of poverty or mitigate their likelihood of falling into poverty,” the agency boss further explained.
On the objective the workshop, Ahmed stressed that it is to sensitise all Community Project Management Committees (CPMC) on their roles in maintaining implemented projects for their sustainability through rich maintenance culture.
He, however, urged communities that were yet to complete the full implementation of their Community Development Plans, to do so in order to give room for other communities to benefit.
The acting GM commended the state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfattah Ahmed for providing the required financial state government counterpart contribution.
Earlier, while declaring the workshop opened, the state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed said that the training is coming at the appropriate time.
Represented by the board Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Salihu Alamoyo, the governor disclosed that the sum of N50million counterpart fund has been approved for more communities to be reached.
Also present at the workshop were the Operations Manager of the agency, Engr. Haruna Amamat, the Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Alhaji Hassan Onaolapo, members of board KWCSDA, members of CPMC of benefiting communities among others.
