By joke Adeniyi-Jackson
Nine communities and two gender and vulnerable groups in Kwara State are to benefit N27million World Bank assisted micro projects.
The Community Development Projects (CDPs) are to be funded by the Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency (KWCSDA).
The communities are Irapa, Omugo, Oyatedo, Oke-Oyan and Aireke-Ilupeju, all in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state.
Others are Gaa Uthman in Ilorin East LGA; Tanke Iledu, Ilorin South LGA, Olugbense and Ajoni-Olalomi in Offa Local Government Area.
The benefitting gender and vulnerable groups are Love and Care group in Ilorin, the state capital and Iyeru Okin in Offa.
This was disclosed by the General Manager of the agency, Engr.(Mrs) Amamat Oluwatoyin Haruna, at the presentation of cheques for the first tranche of payment to three communities, in Oyatedo, on Friday.
She noted that the beneficiaries are the 10th batch communities and 2nd batch of gender and vulnerable groups to enjoy the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) since inception of the additional financing.
Haruna added that a total of 149 communities across the 16 Local Government Areas in the state have so far benefited from the CSDP since commencement of additional funding.
According to her, the state government through KWCSDA has drawn down a total sum of N1.3billion with over N801million disbursed to communities since 2016 to date.
“234 micro-projects have so far been completed and in use while 45 are ongoing across the poverty focal of Local Governments in the state,” she further said.
The GM, however, explained that the approved CDPs under the scheme are to be funded in the ratio of 90% by the agency and 10% by the communities while for Group Development Plans(GDP) the ratio is 95 percent by KWSCDA and 5 percent by the gender and vulnerable groups.
She explained further that funds will be released in three tranches of 50 percent, 30 percent and 20 percent to micro projects in conformity with their ranking within approved CDPs and GDPs of communities and the groups respectively.
In his address, the state Deputy Governor, Mr. Kayode Alabi warned against wastage just as he pledged prompt payment of counterpart funding to the various international and donor agencies, by the present admimistration.
He explained that it is the responsibility of everyone to ensure proper maintenance of projects provided by the government and donor agencies for sustainability.
He stessed that as government, it would not relent in fulfilling it obligations by ensuring prompt payment of its contribution to create synergy between its and the agencies to move Kwara State forward.
Alabi assured the Agency that the Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq led administration would work and support it to achieve its objectives of improving poverty levels in both rural and urban areas, empower communities to plan, part-finance, implement, monitor and maintain sustainable and socially inclusive multi-sectoral micro-projects, facilitate and increase Community-LGA partnership on Human Development-related projects among others.
