Date: 2019-10-15

Oba Daniel Dada, the Elegosi of Egosi in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara, on Monday commended the state government for its prompt intervention in the growth, progress and socio-economic development of his community.

The monarch gave the commendation while receiving an N1.4 million cheque presented as project fund to the community by the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that the N1.4 million represents the first tranche of an N5 million project fund earlier approved for the community by the state government.

The approved sum covers electricity extension and motorised boreholes projects earlier submitted for approval by the Community Project Management Committee (CPMC).

Oba Daniel described the government's gesture as unprecedented in the history of the community.

According to him, it is a testimony of the government's strong determination and sincerity toward the development of the community.

The monarch said that people of the community had never relented in identifying with the laudable policies and programmes of the government at the grassroots.

Oba Dada expressed the community's readiness to work in accordance with the terms of the projects' proposal to ensure speedy and proper execution of the projects.

Chief Sunday Adetona, the Odofin Egosi and Chief Samuel Oni, the Elemo of Egosi, in their separate remarks, thanked the government for the recognition and honour done to the community.

The community leaders also used the opportunity to appeal for the upgrade of the community's monarch from the current fourth class status to third class.

Mrs Amamat Haruna, General Manager of Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency (KSCSDA), said the government's gesture was aimed at strengthening self-help capacity of rural communities.

"The objective is to ensure sustainable access to social and economic infrastructure and the availability of development resources at the community level.

"It is to promote development partnership including co-financing of development initiatives between government and communities.

"It is hoped that all LGA's in the state will over time, adopt and incorporate the Community Driven Development (CDD) approach into their development planning processes," she said.

Haruna said the state government had so far spent a total sum of N1.4 billion with over N800 million disbursed to communities from 2016 to date.

"262 micro-projects have so far been completed and in use, while 42 are on-going across the poverty focal local government areas in the state," she said.

She said the approved Community Development Projects (CDP) under the scheme would be funded in the ratio of 90 per cent by the agency and 10 per cent by the beneficiary communities.

"Release of the funds by the State Agency will be in tranches to micro-projects in conformity with their ranking within the approved CDPs and GDPs of communities and Gender and Vulnerable Groups, respectively," she said.

Mr Kayode Abel, Director, Aqwalink Nigeria Ltd., the contractor handling the borehole projects, promised timely completion of the project and conformity with laid down specification.

NAN.