From Judex Okoro, Calabar
The World Bank and the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme have disbursed N90 million to seven Cross River State communities to enable them carry out some micro-projects and cushion the effects of the pandemic.
The NG-CARES is an emergency response programme of the Federal Government, in partnership with the World Bank and coordinated by the Cross River State government through the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), aimed at helping poor and vulnerable households recover from the negative economic effects caused by the pandemic.
The funds were disbursed by the Cross River State government through the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) to seven communities under Disbursement Linked Indicator 1.4 of the programme. The communities include Bebuatsuan in Obudu, Ochagbe in Bekwarra, Ugaga, Emorrow, Nsofang in Etung, Efut and Atan Onoyom.
General manager of the state’s Community Social Development Agency (CSDA), Mr. Fidel Udie, who made this known during the Agency Management Monitoring and Supervision exercise of the projects in some of the communities, said the N90 million has been disbursed to communities whose community development plans were approved for funding in March 2022.
Udie said: “The interventions cut across three sectors of education, health and water and sanitation. And in it would involve the construction/rehabilitation and furnishing of classroom blocks, science laboratories, dormitories and teachers’ quarters in the education sector.
“It would also involve the furnishing and equipping of health posts with staff quarters in the health sector; construction of solar-powered boreholes with reticulation and construction of VIP toilets to discourage open defecation in the water and sanitation sector.
“In Ochagbe in Bekwarra, the agency is providing support for the construction and equipping of a health post and the construction of a solar-powered borehole. While the health post is on-going, the solar powered borehole has been completed and in use. Also, in Ugaga, Yala LGA, the agency is supporting the community in the construction and furnishing of a multipurpose science laboratory, which is ongoing. Also, the construction of a solar-powered borehole has been completed and is being utilised.
“In Emorrow, Ikom LGA, the construction of staff quarters for teachers is ongoing, while the solar-powered borehole has been completed and in use, just as the construction of a four-room self-contained teachers’ apartment is ongoing, while the solar-powered borehole is completed and in use at Nsofang, in Etung LGA. There is also the construction of a solar-powered borehole that has been completed and in use, and the construction of an examination hall at Efut, in Calabar South.”
Commending Governor Ben Ayade and the communities’ commitment on implementation of their micro projects in spite of some challenges therein, Udie said the agency adopts a community-driven development model that allows the benefiting communities to take over ownership through a part-finance policy of 5 per cent of project cost, while government supports them with 95 per cent of the cost of their micro projects.
According to him, the agency is also involved in the design and implementation of all approved projects thereby guaranteeing sustainability of the facilities created with over 400 communities seeking support.
Commending the agency for its prompt intervention, the village head of Atan Onoyom community, in Odukpani, Elder Obong Francis Effiom Idim, said: “The borehole project, which will provide water to about 3,000 community members from up the hill, and also an examination hall to allow the students write external examinations without having to go to other communities, came in the nick of time. I assure you that we will be transparent and accountable in implementing these micro projects. I appreciate the government and the agency for this wonderful support.”
Excited at the provision of some facilities in Calabar South, a community leader, Elder Aniedi Emah, said: “The provision of the solar-powered borehole has really helped us so that we do not wait for electricity to get water, and the water is free, we are not paying anymore for water. Government has really tried for us.”
A woman community leader from Ochagbe, Mrs. Cecilia Odey, said: “We used to trek for some distance to go and fetch water from a nearby stream, even as it was not clean. But, today, we have potable drinking water from the agency; we are grateful.
Bemoaning their plight before the intervention of the agency, the head teacher of Community Primary School, Bebuatsuan, in Obudu LGA, Mrs. Alice Agba, said: “The new classroom block will increase enrolment in the school, as parents will be willing to enrol teir wards here, while the solar-powered borehole would improve our heath condition.”
Hailing the construction and furnishing of a multi-purpose science laboratory and solar-powered borehole at Uguga, in Yala, a community leader, Elder Ekawu Alphonsus, said: “The science laboratory is essential for the students as it will allow the school to train and build up future scientists, engineers, physicians and doctors.”
Another woman leader, Madam Immaculata Okim Edim, recalled how she, other women and children used to descend the village hill in order to access water prior to the intervention. According to her, “it used to be very tiring to fetch water as we needed to descend the hill and climb back up, and also struggle with the crowd to get water at the stream. Now, the borehole is close to us and it has made things easy. We are grateful.”