The Chairman of the Kogi State NG CARES Steering Committee, Hon. Asiwaju Idris Asiru has stated that the NG CARES Programme focuses on rural and remote areas lacking basic social facilities.
The Commissioner, representing Chief Dauda Momoh, General Manager of Kogi Community and Social Development, explained that the initiative aims to reduce poverty sustainably.
The General Manager made this disclosure in Okene, Kogi State, during the opening ceremony of the third batch of the Special Training on Project Management Implementation for the Community and Group Management Committees.
He highlighted that the Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency is a key delivery platform for the NG CARES programme in the state.
The agency collaborates with communities and groups in selected areas based on the poverty map of Kogi State.
The agency has identified and prioritized 170 micro projects in 80 rural communities across the state’s 21 local government areas, benefiting over 200,000 people.
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The General Manager expressed gratitude to the Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo, for funding the programme and assured rural communities of extensive development projects aimed at reducing poverty, combating hunger, and promoting self-reliance.
He also commended the state government’s commitment to prioritizing the welfare and development of the people, assuring them that more positive changes are on the way.
He explained that a minimum of two micro projects, primarily basic social facilities, make up the Community/Group Development Plan, benefiting over 200,000 rural dwellers in this phase of intervention.
According to the agency’s work plan, all Community Development Plans are scheduled for full implementation and operation by September 2024. He urged the Community/Group Management Committees to adhere strictly to project specifications, warning that the agency would sanction and blacklist any defaulters.
He commended the current administration for providing the necessary funds for the NG CARES programme, which has enabled uninterrupted project implementation.
Recall that the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Usman Ahmed Ododo, recently flagged off the training of communities and groups to be funded with N1.6 billion as part of the state government’s support for the NG CARES programme for community investment.
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