FCTA disburses over N197.5m for community development

THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has disbursed the sum of N197,531,799.95 for infrastructure development at the community level in the territory under the Community and Social Development Programmes (CSDP).

Presenting cheques to  representatives of 23 communities in the six Area Councils of the FCT, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa, said the CSDP had been of great importance in the development of rural communities in the Territory.

Ohaa, who commended the efforts of the CSDP workers representing their communities for working hard to ensure that their people have access to basic social infrastructure through community driven development programmes, further urged them to ensure that the funds were judiciously utilised for the set purpose.

He said with the issuance of the cheques, the FCT administration would be able to assess the performance of the community driven development projects, the challenges and the way forward.

The FCT Permanent Secretary also assured that the administration would continue to partner with various international and community agencies as well as other groups, towards achieving of its vision of ensuring an acceptable standard of living for FCT people.

Giving further insights into the CSDP in the FCT, the Director, Economic Planning, Research and Statistics of the FCTA, Lawal Muhammed, said It is an intervention that targets social and environmental infrastructure at the community level.

He said the project works through a counterpart funding format whereby communities raise 10 per cent of the total cost of their selected micro projects (in cash and kind), while the FCT CSDP matches that with 90 per cent grant.

The director further explained that the idea Is to encourage community ownership through community-driven development approach which systematically empowers community members to take charge of their lives instead of relying on government for all their needs.

He added that the various communities have been trained on project implementation (monitoring and supervision), bookkeeping, community procurement, conflict management and environmental issues among others to ensure the success of the programme. 

Giving insight into  the various components of the micro projects under the FCT CSDP, the General Manager, FCT CSDP, Dr Shuaibu Adamu, said the projects cut across all rural communities and included health, electricity, water, roads as well natural infrastructure projects.

He said water related projects topped the approved micro projects with about 124 projects, including 52 boreholes, while 22 health centres have also been approved in addition to the opening of 23 community roads. He said there are currently 19 ongoing micro projects, while 65 projects have been completed with work yet to commence on 40 others.