Cross River Disburses N85.4m For 56 Community Based Projects
SAN FRANCISCO, March 15, (THEWILL) - Cross River State Government through its Community and Social Development Agency (CRS CSDA) has disbursed N85, 472,470 to 56 communities under its World Bank assisted programme.
While presenting cheques to the various communities at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar, Governor Liyel Imoke commended the benefiting communities in complementing government in its efforts of transforming rural communities.
Imoke averred that government initiated programmes are not only meant for urban areas because every citizen of the state has equal right and opportunity to government projects.
The governor noted that he was fascinated by the work done by the agency and the way communities decide as well as take over the ownership of their projects, adding that it does not stop at completion but in utilization.
He therefore urged them to continue to take ownership and utilize the projects as government will ensure its annual contribution of N100 million will be increased if demands from communities grow.
Imoke said by meeting the conditionality for the execution of project it means they have passion and commitment as they have gone through serious rudiment, advising that they should use the cheques judiciously and warned those who think they can mismanage the money on behalf of the people to have a rethink.
Board chairman, Cross River State Community and Social Development Agency (CRSCSDA), Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong, said the agency has proven to be a very reliable, fast and cheap mechanism to fast track rural development.
According to Ekpenyong, it has so far approved a total of 192 Community Development Plans (CDPs) comprising 531 multi-sectoral micro projects with a cumulative cost of N1, 666, billion out of which the Agency’s contribution is N1.499 billion.
Ekpenyong remarked that meanwhile the sum of N952 million has been disbursed to communities to cover education, environments, transport, socio-economic, water and health sector in 16 local government areas.
CSDP National Coordinator, Federal Project Support Unit (FPSU), Abuja, Mr. Chudi Onuoha, disclosed that no state in the country has reached the level which Cross River attained in the execution of the project and it remains the best performing World Bank project in Nigeria as its projects are second to none.
Onuoha noted that the level exhibited by the agency in the state is a reflection of the purposeful leadership quality of governor Imoke and its board.
He therefore advised beneficiaries to be prudent in the use of the funds given by government.
General Manager CRS CSDA, Pastor Victor Ovat, in a multi media presentation “The Journey so Far,” said within the last four years of implementation, the agency has made achievements using the cost effective and efficient Community Driven Development (CDD) approach.