Makinde Earmarks N732M For Community Development

Makinde has earmarked N732m for the development of Communities.

News Rain Nigeria reports that the Oyo State Government has declared the setting aside of not less than N732million for community development.

Oyo government stressed that the sum of N732million will be set aside from 2021 budget to cater for community development capital and recurrent expenditure projects under the State Community and Social Development Project (CSDP).

Makinde Earmarks N732M For Community Development

Making the disclosure is the State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde who was ably represented by his Special Adviser on World Bank Intervention, Mrs Aderonke Adedayo at the 6-day CSDP Management Retreat and Review Meeting.

Makinde who declared open the retreat on Wednesday at the Premier Hotel in Ibadan, stressed that the fund  earmarked in the next year’s budget was to replicate the efforts of CSDP in Oyo State, alongside the Covid-19 Action Response and Economic Stimulus (CARES) in the State.

Makinde maintained that the State has 175 community development plans that have been approved with 788 micro-projects that were completed and functional, adding that the State’s Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) has also recorded success in its projects with support from financial institutions as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

He said: “It is gratifying to note that as CSDP is faring well in Oyo State, the State is already mainstreaming community-driven development approach strategy into the State government policy, consequently, a sum of Seven Hundred and Thirty-Two Million Naira (N732million) has been considered for capital project and recurrent expenditure for the State agency in the 2021 estimate by the governor.

“This is targeted towards CSDP replication in the State, which is expected to be implemented simultaneously with the CARES programme, at this juncture, given the readiness of the government and high level expectations of communities, I am reliably informed that over 500 community development associations (CDAs) have submitted their Expression of Interest for them to benefit in the project.” He said.

The retreat meeting was graced by the coordinators of CSDP from all the 32 States that have subscribed to the intervention programme like Oyo, Bauchi, Plateau, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo and Kwara among other 30 States, where members were afforded the opportunity to look back at the achievements of the project in the preceding years, discuss challenges and proffer amicable solutions to improve the intervention through experience sharing.

Dr. Abdulkarim Obadje who is the National Coordinator for Community and Social Development Project earlier in his welcome address commended Governors of all the States that have keyed into the CSDP project across the Country.

Dr. Abdulkarim specially appreciate Governor Seyi Makinde for his administration support towards the success of the CSDP project in the State.

Obadje said despite the recent nationwide lockdown, occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic, CSDP was up and running by implementing various micro-projects under strict safety protocols, noted  that the outcome of an evaluation report submitted to the federal government and the World Bank, among which included 17,048 micro-projects that gulped over N90billion has revealed the impact of CSDP across the country.