Niger State Community Social Development Agency (NSCSDA) said it spent over N1 billion on its intervention programmes in over 400 communities from 2009 to date across the state.
Alhaji Yusuf Usman, the General Manager of CSDA, disclosed this during the monitoring tour of projects the agency executed in Leprosy Colony in Paiko and Hamdallahi communities, Lapai Local Government Areas of the state.
According to him, CSDA is one of the development projects in the country’s World Bank portfolio, using the Community Driven Development (CDD) approach.
He said CSDA had supported the Kompani Kutare community with the renovation of classrooms, provision of potable water, construction of toilets, and purchase of five tricycles to empower members of the community.
In Hamdallahi community, a Fulani settlement, CSDP provided health center, community hall, and classrooms to encourage western education among Norman.
Malam Yunusa Jatau, from Leprosy Colony, commended the agency for empowering members of the community with tricycles and motorcycles and renovation of schools for a conducive learning environment for children.
“This intervention is a laudable one because they are beneficial to us. We used the money given to us to build a town hall, clinic and schools; this has made access to education and health facilities easier.
“Our pregnant women can now deliver safely without traveling to a nearby a health facility in Lapai, ” he said.
Jatau, who noted that the intervention had eradicated street begging and increase school enrollment in the community, pledged to ensure the maintenance of the facilities for sustenance.
Also, Malam Unaru Bello, Secretary, Project Management Committee in Hamdallahi, disclosed that before CSDP intervention, there was no health facility in the community.
He said that the intervention had brought about development in the area.
Meanwhile, Alhaji Ahmed Kontagora, Chairman of CSDA, commended the communities for the successful implementation of the micro-projects with the funds given to it.
Kontagora, who was represented by Mrs Elizabeth Shaba, Vice-Chairman of CSDA, expressed optimism that the projects would impact the life expressed by the agency’s commitment to empowering rural communities for sustainable development.
He advised the beneficiaries of the projects to take ownership of the projects and ensure their maintenance for sustainability.
