The Ogun State Government has the release of the sum of N72 million as Grants-in-Aid/subventions to Community Development Associations (CDAs).
Governor Ibikunle Amosun disclosed this during the International Community Day celebration and the award of Grants-in-Aid to Community Development (Self-Help) Projects, held in Abeokuta yesterday.
The amount he said, is not only to support the self-help initiative, but also for the continued socio-economic development of the state.
“This is also to ensure the sustainability of the self-help projects of CDAs across our dear State. It is my hope that this gesture will help our people in sourcing capital for their various projects.
“The approval of N50 million for the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) in partnership with the World Bank is another community based initiatives to support the grassroots, and the full implementation is expected before the end of this administration.
“Let me also remind all our Cooperatives and CDA leaders that the N1 billion loan in partnership with the Bank of Industries (BoI), is still very much available for those of you in Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs). The feedback has been quite encouraging and I encourage you all to continue to draw from it to support your businesses”, he added.
Amosun added that efforts are in top gear to complete the 2nd phase of the renovation of the Social Development Institute (Shasha), Iperu-Remo, so as to increase its capacity for the provision of the training opportunities for more community leaders.
The governor noted that his government’s programmes are people-centered and are designed to be community-driven, encouraging Government-People Partnerships in the project origination, implementation and maintenance.
Partnerships, according to him, ensure the sustainability of community projects/programmes because of the community’s vested interests in the success of such projects.
Wife of the governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Olufunso Amosun, who was honoured with an Award of Excellence in Community Development by state’s CDAs, in her address, appreciated the gesture of the association, promising not to relent in her support.
The Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperatives, Mr. Gbenga Adenmosun, earlier in his welcome speech, disclosed that the CDAs have benefitted immensely from the Amosun administration in the areas of capacity building, cash gifts, hectares of lands for council secretariat.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Ogun State Community Development Council, Alhaji Rasak Kolawole Ikupoliyi, attested to the community friendly policy of the state government.
