Determined to reposition the Enugu State Community and Social Development Project (CSDP), the state government has concluded plans to constitute a board to enhance the activities of the Agency.
The State Commissioner for Rural Development, Prince Emeka Mamah, disclosed this yesterday during an interactive session with the Abia State Board members of the CSDP who paid him a courtesy call in his office.
Both top management staff of the Enugu and Abia States’ CSDP held a joint session with the state commissioner and the Board members led by Sir Maurice Ichita where issues concerning the two states were extensively discussed.
While lauding the visitors, Prince Mamah noted, “the visit is unique and significant in the sense that Enugu was the administrative headquarters of old Eastern Region and Enugu remains the pride of every Igbo man and has continued to play host to socio-political and economic gatherings of the Southeast geo-political zone.
“I sincerely commend our brothers from Abia State and I am happy there is a Board for CSDP in that state. In Enugu State, the state government is already set to set up a Board for CSDP to reposition the Agency. I assure you all of our utmost hospitality. The state governor, Rt. Hon. Dr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is keenly interested in the CSDP projects and he is doing his best to improve the lives of the people particularly rural dwellers in the state through the provision of infrastructural facilities” he added.
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The Chairman of Board, CSDP, Abia State, Sir Ichita, told the state commissioner that they were in Enugu to compare notes and copy the good work of Enugu CSDP, stressing that the issue of counterparts funding is tied to ownership while poverty reduction is everybody’s business.
“We are happy to come to Enugu. I am happy to hear that a Board for the Agency will soon be constituted. We are here to see the work done by the Agency in the state. We look up to Enugu as a role model is the father of the southeast region. We are here to compare notes with a view to knowing how far the Agency has gone in the two States and where to make amend”
“We appeal to you as the political head of the Agency to reach out to the authority so that we can harness the opportunities in the region. Is the state and local governments buying into the Agency projects through the payment of counterpart funds? These are some of the challenges we need to address”, he added.
In their separate speeches, the General Manager of Enugu CSDP, Dr Maximus Asogwa and his counterpart from Abia State, Dr Chinatu Njoku, took time to x-ray the prospects and challenges facing the world bank assisted projects in the two brotherly states and indeed the region, recalling that at national level, they often discuss issue like the autonomous community which is a serious problem in Igbo land.
Dr Asogwa disclosed that Enugu State Government has promised to settle the three years counterpart funds arrears. I appreciate the marvellous works of our Excellency, Rt. Hon. Dr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi especially in area of infrastructural development. The state government apart from the CSDP projects gave N10m to each community in Enugu State numbering over 450 for development projects. It was a great relief to the people.
The visitors were later taken round some of the CSDP projects in the state for the on-the-spot assessment.
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