Our Correspondent|8 March 2019
The Cross River State Government (CRSG) has approved Community Development Plans consisting of 33 Micro Projects valued at N114,140,821.00 for 13 communities in the State. The approval is part of the government’s 2019 annual budget through the Community and Social development Agency (CSDA).
The CSDA is the implementing Agency of the CRSG partnership with the World Bank assisted Community and Social Development Project in Nigeria. The beneficiary communities in this batch of approval include Iko Esia, Ikoi Ekperem, New Ekuri and Old Ekuri in Akamkpa LGA, Ofatura, Onyen Orangha and Yala Obubra in Obubra LGA. Also, Katchuan II, Bekpo Irruan, Kakwagom, Orunghe, Mkpat-Bawop and Oku Bushuyu in Boki LGA respectively. The micro projects approved are in the Health, Education, Water and Sanitation, Environment, Socioeconomic and Transport sectors of CSDP in focal Local Government Areas of the state.
His Excellency, Senator (Prof) Ben Ayade, the digital Governor of Cross River State has charged the Agency to fund pro-poor projects in Cross River State irrespective of political affiliation provided they meet Agency’s funding criteria and procedure. This is part of the social contract the Governor has with the people of the State who gave him the mandate to superintend over the State affairs. The Governor who is very passionate about the welfare of the citizens have brought several phenomenal innovations to governance in the State.
According to the General Manager of the Agency, Pastor Victor Ovat, a total of N312,207,734 has so far been disbursed to communities and vulnerable groups in the state to fund social projects that will improve access of the people to services for human development since 2015.
Pastor Ovat further said that, Governor Ayade’s administration through the Community and Social Development Agency has budgeted to disburse a total sum of N370,972,166.00 as grants to communities and vulnerable groups in the state in 2019 so as to improve the welfare of the people through shared prosperity. This monies will be managed by the communities and vulnerable groups themselves through their elected Community Project Management Committees (CPMCs) and Group Project Management Committees (GPMCs) respectively, for the implementation of projects identified by themselves.
This government intends to address poverty reduction and improve Human Development Index (HDI) of Cross River. To achieve these, the government would be using the Community Driven Development (CDD) approach towards improvement of life of the people especially at the rural areas.
Since assumption of office in 2015, Governor Ayade has kept fate with his promise to transform the state by approving and funding 59 Community Development Plans (CDPs) for communities and 11 Group Development Plans (GDPs) for Vulnerable Groups across the State through CSDA.
The 59 CDPs comprises 138 micro projects out of which 33 micro projects have been and put to use. On the other hand, the 11 GDPs comprises 22 Group micro projects with 11 already completed and put to use. No doubt the gains of democracy are indeed trickling to the poorest of the poor in the rural areas.
