by crossriverwatch admin
The General Manager of the Cross River Community and Social Development Agency, Pastor Victor Ovat has reacted to the story that the lackluster performance of the agency was responsible for the panel set up by the Cross River State government explaining that the tax of the panel was to ensure how the agency would continue operations after its mandate expires in December 2013.
“By World Bank standard we are rated number one amongst the twenty six states of the federation where this rural development project is going on in the country”.
Pastor Ovat said though the earlier information was not comprehensive, the Agency has impacted the rural areas so much that Senator Liyel Imoke wants the agency to continue after its mandate ends in December.
He said, “The World Bank assistance for the program is expected to end in December but the state government is seeking a way of ensuring continued funding for the program and perhaps the World Bank may see reasons why it should continue its’ funding so that more rural areas could be reached”.
According to Ovat, the agency is the only one in the state that has been completing six classroom blocks with all the facilities complete for less than six million Naira, which is novel”.
The General Manager said he had made presentation to the State Executive Council and the Forum of Local Government Chairman so that they would buy into the program and continue its’ funding while awaiting for the World Bank to assess its performance and continue the funding. “We have projects in all rural communities in the state including Ukele where we have over six projects already completed so we are not lackluster” he said.
He said the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Chief Peter Ojie at the meeting with Chairmen of Local Government Councils “actually commended us for the above average performance considering the funding we have so far gotten in the past eight years from both the state and World Bank”
Pastor Ovat said Mr. Ojie acknowledged the importance of the Community and Social Development Agency in the state and said the place of the Agency was crucial to the development of the State as Councils alone cannot fulfill all their obligations, and would therefore need other vehicles to drive the development of their respective communities.
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