By Najib Sani
World Bank financing development projects worth $5 million is now in good progress in Bauchi state, according to the General Manager of the Community and Social Development Programme (CSDP] who is responsible for the implementation of the projects execution, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar.
Under the programme, projects executive are being financed through a Subsidiary Credit Agreement with the Federal Ministry of Finance which implementation started in September 2010 with the Bauchi state government to date paying N200m out of the N300 million as contribution under the first phase.
Abubakar who heads the Community and Social Development Programme (CSDP), said under the second phase, the state government will contribute the sum of N400 million which amount was last week approved by the State Executive Council.
He revealed that under the second phase of the programme, the 2o local governments in the state are to produce Community Development Plan which is a compendium that contains all the micro projects to be funded by the agency, translating into 380 projects across the state.
Mal. Mohammed Abubakar enumerated the objectives of the programme which include empowerment of communities plans, finance, implementation, monitoring and maintaining sustainable and socially inclusive micro projects, and facilitate and increase community local government partnership on human development related projects.
Others are to increase the capacity of local government, states and federal agencies to implement and monitor CDD policies and interventions and to leverage federal, states, and local governments’ resources for more CDD interventions in the communities.
The General Manager explained that the sectors to be funded under the programme are Education, Health, Rural Electrification, Water, Transportation, Environment, and Gender and Vulnerable.
According to him, The World Bank decided to harmonize projects that have the same community driven development concept into one that give rise to the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) Nigeria.
He said the Community and Social Development Programme is a new intervention that is building on the established CDD structures to effectively target at environment impact structures at community level, as well as improve LG responsibility to service delivery.
Bauchi Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Community Relations who also oversee the Ministry of Information, Alhaji Salisu Ahmed Barau at the briefing described the programmed as a wonderful partner in the development of Bauchi state.
The CSDP was established in Nigeria after the expiration of Local Environment and Empowerment Management Project (LEEMP). The successes recorded by LEEMP in reaching out to the rural populace was adjudged to be highly successful and in line with the best global practices.