Date: 2017-01-24

To ensure infrastructural growth in its rural areas, the Kwara State government in partnership with the World Bank has embarked on N850 million community development projects.

The aim of the programme is to ensure that all 193 wards across the senatorial districts of the state have improved access to infrastructural services that will bring about sustainable development.

Fifty-eight communities are beneficiaries of the project, but 41 communities will be the first beneficiaries as they will be given various sums for community projects, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has said.

He added, saying, "The remaining communities will receive their funds in coming months."

Ahmed said this in Ilorin, the state capital, during the project launch and cheque presentation ceremony organised by the state Community and Social Development Agency (KWCSDA).

He said, "The money disbursed is the first tranche of the programme under which the state government is responsible for about N165 million released, while the 58 participating communities are responsible for about N18.4 million.

"Furthermore, in order to facilitate the continuity of community development projects in the state, this administration injected the sum of N50 million last year and an additional budgetary provision of N200 million in 2016 into CSDP as additional funding to consolidate government's commitment to the project.

"The presence of the counterpart fund of N200 million as contained in the 2016 appropriation allowed for further draw-down of over N670m to scale up the implementation of projects across the state."