By Olaleke ASHAFA
About 89 Communities in Akwa Ibom have so far benefitted from the Community and Social Development Projects (CSDP) financed by the State and Federal Governments in partnership with the World Bank.
The General Manager of the Agency, Mr Ishmael Akpan, disclosed this during an advocacy and awareness creation meeting with newsmen in Uyo on Saturday.
Akpan said that over N686.90 million has been disbursed to cover the completion of 171 micro projects across the 89 communities in 11 local government areas of the state.
He said that the state government was committed to make life better for people of the rural communities by touching the lives of the poor and vulnerable through micro projects facilitated by the Community and Social Development Agency.
He said that out of the 31 local government areas in the state, the World Bank granted the permission for the agency to intervene in 11 areas.
“So far, 89 Communities are benefitting from the Community and Social Development Projects with a total of 268 being envisaged.
” 171 Micro Projects have been completed, it comprises 13 health centres, 12 school blocks, 30 (24 sets each) open market stalls, 39 motorised boreholes.
The general manager explained that apart from the 171 projects completed, 56 micro projects were ongoing and in their various stages of completion.
He said that the projects had reduced poverty and enhanced the standard of living of the rural people in the benefiting communities.
The agency boss added that the community and social development project was an Akwa Ibom Government’s project in collaboration with the Federal government and the World Bank.
It aims at increasing access of the poor to social and natural infrastructure services.
According to him, the agency adopts community development driven approach in its implementation process.
The community decides on the projects to undertake while the agency facilitates funding, training and technical know-how.
He said that the programme was an inclusive project that involves everyone in the various communities which makes for transparency and accountability.
The general manager urged the communities to see the projects as theirs, and should maintain and protect them.
He said that the state government would continue to collaborate with other donor agencies to attract projects to more communities in the state.
Akwa Ibom became a beneficiary of the community and social development additional financing in 2015 when the state government fulfilled all the requirements, including prompt payment of the counterpart fund.
