Women of Mbeke
community in Isiala
Mbano Local Government
Area of Imo
heaved a sigh of relief
when their health centre opened
for operation this year.
Mrs Ogechi Ezala was particularly
happy as she recalled how she narrowly
escaped death twice during
childbirth, as she had to trek to the
nearest health facility.
For the third pregnancy, delivery
was safe and easy as the baby was
delivered at the new Mbeke Community
Health Centre built by the community.
The health centre was constructed
under the World Bank-assisted Community
and Social Development Project,
CSDP, in which 26 states and the
FCT are benefiting.
The federal government obtained a
$200 million credit from the World
Bank for the project, while each participating
state was entitled to $5
million loan.
Participating states are also mandated
to establish agencies to manage
the projects, and pay N100 million
counterpart contribution annually.
Funds are released for execution of
projects to communities that met the
criteria set by the supervising agencies.
Recently, a federal inspection team,
made up of top officials of the CSDP,
different ministries and parastatal
agencies, visited Imo and Abia to appraise
the level of project implementation.
Mr Amah Uwalaka, the general
manager, Imo State Agency for Community
and Social Development Project,
briefed the team on the activities of the
agency.
According to him, Mbeke community
is one out of the 84 communities that
have so far benefited from the programme
in the state Uwalaka said that
the agency had spent N474 million on
106 micro projects since it began operations
in 2010 in the state. The CSDP is
a five-year programme running from
2009 to 2013.
Uwalaka also said that 435 communities
had applied for assistance but micro
projects were being implemented in 84
communities.
“One hundred and six micro-projects
have been completed in various sectors
while 58 micro projects are ongoing. Total
number of funded micro-projects is
164.’’
He explained that nine micro projects
were completed in the state’s education
sector, 14 in health, 11 in water, 31 rural
electrification projects and 11 projects
in transportation, among others.
He listed building of classroom blocks,
health centres, drilling of bore holes,
town halls and market stalls as some
of the projects undertaken by the communities
under the supervision of the
agency.
The team inspected electricity, water
and health projects in the three zones of
the state.
Mr Paul Nwokorie, a youth leader in
Umunumo community in Okigwe zone,
said business had picked up in the area
as a result of improved electricity supply.
“Our youths can now learn information
technology, IT, skills, and phone
charging points is another lucrative business.
The pure water and cold drinks business
is thriving here too,’’ the youth leader
stated.
The team also inspected 40 open stalls
constructed at Umuna Community in
Orlu Local Government Area.
“All of us are very happy because our
crops are not rotting away anymore, said a
woman leader, Mrs Grace Agbaka who on
the occasion, thanked the initiators of the
project.
“By the time you take crops to far-away
markets and back, you lose a lot but now,
that we have this big market in our community;
people even come here to buy and
we are enjoying the benefits,’’ she said.
Mr Chinatu Njoku, the General Manager,
Abia State Agency for Community
and Social Development Project,
briefed the team when it inspected
projects in Abia.
He said that since inception, the
agency had received more than 600
applications for assistance from
communities.
“Three hundred and thirty six micro
projects have been processed and
approved in 11 LGAs; we have 120
completed and functional projects,
78 ongoing while the remaining are
yet to take off.
“In Isiala Ngwa South, 37 micro
projects have been completed, Umuahia
North 22, Isiala Ngwa North, 13,
Ohafia, 20, Bende, 11, Ikwuano, 8,
Isuikwuato, 4, Obingwa, 4, Umuahia
South, 1, totaling 120.
“To achieve this, the agency disbursed
N586.78 million direct to
communities for the implementation
of approved projects with an
outstanding commitment of about
N349.27m for the completion of the
projects.’’
The general manager also gave a
breakdown of approved and executed
projects sector-by-sector.
The recurring issues in both Imo
and Abia were the non-payment of
N400 million each, which was a backlog
of debt, owed the programme in
both states.
The national coordinator of CSDP,
Mr Chukwudi Onuoha, decried the
development, adding that both
states had failed to fulfill their promises.
He urged states defaulting in the
payment of their N100 million annual
counterpart to pay up as the
programme would end this year.
Observers say laudable as the programme
is, defaulting states should
endeavour to pay their counterpart
contributions to enable state agencies
to complete ongoing projects,
and to even initiate new ones at the
end of assistance by the World Bank.
(NANFeatues