Tom Moses
19 November 2009
Calabar — Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke has expressed appreciation to the European Union (EU) Micro Projects Programme- MPP-9 for funding 195 projects in Etung Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, saying the gesture has complemented his efforts to transform the rural areas.
Imoke, who gave the commendation while launching the Micro Projects Programme (MPP9) in Calabar, the state capital, said the EU would sponsor 1200 micro projects under MPP9 in the nine Niger Delta States for the next three years which 130 would be implemented in Cross River with additional 195 projects for Etung, the pilot local government area for integrated community development initiative.
Imoke noted that the essence of governance was to provide social services and ensure sustainable growth in the society with the aim of eradicating poverty, provide health care delivery service and qualitative education amongst others, adding that the launching and the workshop was apt to the programme of the state in its efforts to raise the standard of living of its citizenry.
He lauded the EU for locating the Programme Management Unit (PMU) and the head office of the programme in Calabar, the Local Management Unit (LMU) and Pilot Programme in Etung local government area as well as create the Decentralized Management Unit (DMU) specifically to serve the state.
The governor described the project as timely as it came at a time the federal government was taking positive steps through the amnesty programme to empower youths in the Niger Delta, saying that the project has opened opportunities for the people while hoping that more stakeholders would key into the programme and many more communities would be stakeholders by playing active part by contributing to the development of their areas.
Imoke pledged the state's commitment to providing a conducive environment for the MPP9 to succeed noting that a target of meeting all MDGs by 2015 has been set.
To meet that target, he said government would cooperate with donor agencies in implementing their programme to record success.
He therefore urged council chairmen to rise to the challenge and create the required impact on the lives of the people thereby showing evidence of good governance in line with the state administration's lofty programmes including social welfare schemes(project home, comfort and free medical heasth care delivery for pregnant women and children under five years) evolved to touch the lives of the people.
Dr. Shansudeen Usman, Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman represented by the Director, International Cooperation Department of the National Planning Commission, Mrs L.D. Bagaiya said the objective of the programme, which is a partnership with the federal government, states and EU, is to create awareness, provide access as well as deal with issues of gender and human rights.
Usman expressed happiness with the success recorded by the programme since its inception in 2001 in three states which was later extended to six and due to its positive impact was extended to the nine states in the Niger Delta region, saying that the programme, has within this period been able to reduce poverty.
He said the programme intends to strengthen its base line between 2008 and 2013 so as to adequately boost development in rural areas and create access to potable water, roads, education and health facilities.
He said the MPP9 is expected to implement 1,200 projects at the end of the exercise while appreciating EU for its contributions and congratulated Cross River for being part of the programme.
The Minister was optimistic that Vision 20:20 20 would give impetus to the programme to turn around the standard of living among rural dwellers.
Also speaking, the Head, Water and Sanitation Unit of the Delegation of the European Commission to Nigeria, Mr. Raymond Maria Peigada said EU has made available N99.2 million for development intervention projects in Niger Delta thus, giving Cross River opportunity to kick-start the programme with the state launch of MPP9, assuring that the programme would increase infrastructure and create income generating projects.
The programme unlike others Granada sais was intended to push up development from the local government level with the hope of contributing to the target earmarked by MDGs as well as play remarkable role in the Niger Delta Development Plan and at the end of the exercise, create an effective channel to ensure beneficiaries have full access to water, education, health care and good roads in order to eradicate ignorance and poverty.
Special Adviser, Department of International Donors Support, Mr. Roy Ndoma-Egba thanked EU for its 60 percent counterpart funding.
According to him, the MPP9 intervention would help the state to meet standard and actualize its programmes in health and education, water, roads and electrification of the rural communities.
MPP9 Cross River State Decentralized Management Unit Team Leader, Dr. Susan Ohen earlier in a welcome address said the MPP9 was a new model based on experiences of MPP3 and MPP6 which encouraged development through partnership between communities and their local government councils.
According to Ohen, the aim is to institute reforms, in local governments by providing infrastructural services, income generating options, sustainable means of livelihood development, gender equity and community empowerment through offering models of transparency and participation.
For that reason, she said the LGA was chosen as the MPP9 Pilot Integrated Programme for the nine Niger Delta states and that about 258 micro projects would be implemented in the state as against 133 in each of the other states in the region due to the advantage of the Pilot Integrated programme, hoping that the benefits which the state would derive from MPP9 at the end of the programme would scale up the rate of development in the rural areas.
The team leader sought the cooperation of all stake holders especially communities and local government councils in terms of co-financing the projects. Highpoint of the launch was the cutting of the cake by Imoke, assisted by the Minister, Ndoma-Egba and Granda.
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