The Kwara State Government has launched N850 million Community Development Programme with the presentation of N165 million cheque to benefitting communities in the state.
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed disclosed this at the project launch and cheque presentation to 41 communities at the Banquet Hall, Ilorin, on Sunday.
He said the first tranche of the counterpart-funded disbursement was released to promote development at the grassroots level.
Ahmed was represented at the occasion by the Chief of Staff, Abdulwahab Yusuf.
The governor explained that the aim of the programme was to enable all the 193 electoral wards across the state have improved access to infrastructural services that would fast track development.
Under the scheme, ward-based community associations received N5m to implement water, education, health, energy and other micro-projects on provision of a 10 per cent contribution.
He recalled that the sum of N50 million was injected into Community Development Projects in the state in 2015, with additional budgetary provision of N200 million in 2016 to consolidate government commitment to the project.
“The presence of counterpart fund of N200 million as contained in the 2016 Appropriation allowed for further draw-down of over N670 million to scale up the implementation of projects across the state,” the governor stated.
He urged the communities to make judicious use of the funds and ensure proper retirement of receipts so as to facilitate the release of the second and third tranches.
The governor stressed that his administration would continue to put in place strategies to ensure all round development in the state, especially at the grassroots level.
Ahmed commended the State Community and Social Development Agency (KWCSDA) and the World Bank for their efforts at ensuring rural development in the state.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development, Wasiu Odewale, said 318 community micro projects have been executed in different rural communities across the 16 local government areas in the state under the scheme.
Responding on behalf of the benefitting communities, Olomu of Omupo, Oba Yakub Buhari, thanked the state government and pledged judicious use of the fund.
