Agency decries low interest by poor LGAs in accessing developmental grants in Plateau
Development
By Blessing Odega
Jos, Sept. 11, 2018 (NAN) Plateau State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) has decried the low interest of communities identified by the World Bank as the poorest in accessing development grants.
Mrs Felicity Gurumyen, the General Manager of the Agency disclosed this on Tuesday in Jos during an interactive workshop organised for the media and Civil Society Organisations.
Gurumyen said that the primary objective of the agency is to increase access to an improved social economy for communities considered to be the poorest in the 11 local governments in the state.
According to her, the agency receives funding from the World Bank and gives out the highest intervention amount of N10 million and a minimum of one million naira to communities whose expression of interest are approved by the World Bank and the Agency.
She said that each community that received the grant was expected to pay 10 per cent of the amount requested for upfront, either in cash or kind (labour and building materials), to encourage ownership of the project by the community.
Gurumyen, however, expressed regret that only one community had indicated interest and benefited from the N250 million grant approved for 2018.
She said that if the approved fund was not utilised, it would be returned at the end of the year.
The general manager identified areas of intervention to include education, health, provision of potable water, environment and sanitation, rural electrification.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 11 local governments considered to be the poorest of the poor are Riyom, Barkin-Ladi, Wase, Qua’pan, Langtang North, Jos East, Mikang, Shendam, Bokkos, Panshink and Tunkus. (NAN)
UBO/NKO
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Edited by Nkechi Okoronkwo
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