Anambra State governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has disbursed a sum of N1.3 billion to 10 poor and vulnerable communities in the state.
He said the money is for the implementation of the 10 communities and Group Development Plans under the World Bank assisted Anambra State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus Programme.
The disbursement was made through the Anambra State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus, under the state Ministry of Economic Planning, Budget and Development Partners and to be supervised by Anambra State Community and Social Development Agency (ANCSDA).
The ten beneficiary communities are: Atani, Awa, Mputu, Omasi, Amaokpala, Enugwu-Otu Aguleri, Igbariam, Nzam, and Abacha and Isulo Ga-adi Mma VG Isulo.
Addressing the participants, after declaring the event open, governor Soludo, represented by the State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development Partners, Mrs Chiamaka Nnake, said the programme is also a development intervention programme that targets the poor and vulnerable on whom the impacts of COVID-19 Pademic were most severe.
According to her address, “Today, the state government has disbursed the sum of One Billion Three Hundred Million (N1, 300, 000, 000) for the takeoff of the program. And that the program will commence disbursement of over ninety-five million naira (N95,000,000), to the first batch of deserving and qualified community project Management Committee Group, Project Management Committee (CPMCs GPMCs), for the implementation of their respective CDPs-GDPs. I am happy to learn that the beneficiaries are also committing about the sum of four million five hundred thousand naira (4,500,000) as their owned contribution to the implementation cost. This is a strong indication of ownership and seriousness by the beneficiaries.”
She charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the funds as according to her the sustainability of the programme is wholly dependent on its judicious execution.
While assuring necessary support to ensure the success of the programme, Mrs Nnake said that the present administration considers the Anambra State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus programme as a strategic component of its social agenda with special regard to the poor and vulnerable.
The State coordinator, Anambra State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus programme Mrs Ogochukwu Orji, assured that the state Community and Social Development Agency will continue to interface with the communities to ensure that purpose of these micro-projects are actualised.
Mrs Orji said that Anambra State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus was designed to restore the livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable, maintain food security and facilitate the recovery of Medium Scale Enterprise, from the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic over the next eighteen months to two years.
The General Manager and chief executive officer, Anambra State Community and Social Development Agency, Mr Chudi Mojekwu commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the funds.
In his appreciation, the President General of Isulo Community, Mr Sam Oguagbaka, while thanking the State government on behalf of other communities, promised judicious execution of the projects to the betterment of the poor and vulnerable.
For Mr Martins Nwambu, who collected a cheque for over six point one million naira for Nzam Community in Anambra West Local Government Area, they plan to sink a bore whole, reticulate same and also renovate their nurses quarters.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the disbursement, which took place in Awka, over the weekend and attracted members of the communities and some traditional rulers, is the first tranche of the total cost as contained in their various Community and Group Development Plans.
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