Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi has presented a cheque of N143 million to the state’s Community and Social Development Agency, CSDA, to execute projects in 10 communities.
The governor presented the cheque at the the Flag-off of the Community Driven Development, CDD, Policy on Tuesday in Lokoja.
The benefitting communities and groups are: Agassa Widows, Ojochegbe widows, Ire Abana, Igbaruku, New-Zango Layout, Bagido, Ife-Olukotun, Ukpolojogene, Inike and Zango-Daji.
The governor said the gesture was in line with the poverty reduction and rural development policy of his administration.
Mr Bello, who was represented by Dr (Mrs) Folasade Arike-Ayoade, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), said the government would use any opportunity to lift the people out of poverty and better their lives.
He noted that the state government was in partnership with different organisations to reduce poverty and increase access to opportunities that could better the lives of the people of this state.
“We would want you to understand that the money that we would give you today is free and not a loan. Even though it is free to you, it is a loan to the State government,” Bello told the beneficiaries.
Raphael Okomoda, Chairman, Board of Directors of CSDA, said the event underscored the need to sustainably reduce poverty by increasing access of the poor and vulnerable to infrastructure for human development.
“This flag-off is unique and spectacular, because this is the very first-time Community and Group Development Projects will be funded wholly by the State government.
“The Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) closed on June 30, and since then the government has been funding this Agency.
“What this administration is doing today, is the domestication of the Community Driven Development paradigm in our rural and remote areas of the state,” he said.
Momoh Dauda, General Manager of the state CSDA, commended the state government for taking over from where the World Bank stopped in Financing the projects.
The occasion featured the conferment of “Award of Champion of Rural Development” on Bello by the benefitting groups.
It also featured presentation of a paper on “Sustaining the impact of Kogi State Community And Social Development Project in Rural Areas of the State” by Dr Margaret Omada of Kogi State University, Anyigba.
NAN
