Lokoja
Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) the News Agency of Nigeria says it will spend over N220 million on 26 community development projects in the 13 communities by June this year.
Malam Dauda Momoh, General Manager of the Agency, disclosed this with journalists on the sideline of the end of the two-day training for the 84 Community Project Management Committee (CPMC) members in Lokoja.
He further disclosed that the Additional Financing of the World Bank Community and Social Development Project (CSDP), being implemented by the state through the CSDA would wind up in June.
Momoh said that the training of the members, drawn from 13 communities in the state, was to equip them with necessary skills and competence to manage and deliver the projects on time and within budget.
The General Manager, who stressed the need for capacity building in every endeavour, said training was part of the mandate of the Agency.
He added that before the implementation of any of the Agency’s projects, selected members of the affected community must be trained on the project to be executed and deliver.
“Because we will not compromise on quality and timeliness, the Kogi State CSDA has deemed it necessary to equip you with the necessary skills and competence to be able to deliver your projects on time and budget,” he told the participants.
He said that the capacity building for the CPMC members was also in view of the importance the Agency attached to the projects, moreso that members trained were expected to commence execution of projects in their various communities and groups immediately.
According to him, the Agency’s work plan from January to June consists of the 13 Community Development Plans (CDPs) and three Group Development Plans (GDPs) to be executed before the expiration of the Additional Financing (AF).
Momoh said that 12 Community Development Projects in six communities were flagged off in January while 13 from seven communities in Dekina, Okene, Okehi, Olamaboro and Kogi LGAs would be flagged off as on Friday, this week.
Ogwu Samuel, from Olowa Community in Dekina Local Government, one of the trainees, said the training provided the and his colleagues the opportunity to acquire skills on the best practices in the management and execution of the projects.
Umar Abdulrahman, CPMC chairman, Iruvucheba Community in Okene, in his remarks, commended the agency’s efforts at ensuring impeoved living standard for rural communities through the community-driven intervention projects.
