World Bank further supports community development in Nigeria with US$140m.

By Clem Khena-Ogbena

The World Bank has approved US$140 million additional support for ommunity development in Nigeria.

Twenty six (26) states are expected to benefit from the project, which will focus on the most vulnerable households in the country, World Bank Task Team leader the project, Mr. Foluso Okunmadewa, has said.

According to him, the additional financing was expected to fund micro-project such as rehabilitation and construction of school class rooms, skills acquisition, environment, health, rural electrification, transport, water, rural market infrastructure to mention but a few.

He added that vulnerable groups that would benefit from grants include internally displaced poor persons, marginalized or chronically poor households, widows and the physically challenged.

Okunmadewa stated, “This project will not only help vulnerable people in the short term, including those in conflict-affected areas, but will also help build long-lasting partnership between local governments and communities. In addition, it will help integrate communities as well as make smart investments in people for the future.”

He further disclosed that the first phase of the Community Social Development Project (CSDP), which had already benefited over 5,600 communities and about 2 million people in 26 states of the federation, was meant to close in December, this year.

Also making a remark, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, stated, “A recent assessment of the Project shows that school enrollment, immunization, and access to electricity and safe water have all increased in communities that benefited from CSDP.

“In this new phase, the project will focus mainly on the most vulnerable people, in line with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.”

The new phase of the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP)is expected to end on December 31, 2017.