Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba on Wednesday disbursed N500 million under Community and Social Development Projects (CSDP) for the execution of projects in 50 communities in the state.
Ishaku, who was represented by Mr Anthony Jellason, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), acknowledged the enormous contributions of the CSDP in the state.
According to him, the activities of the platform is in line with my vision for taking development to local populace and I will continue to support the agency to achieve it goals.
He said that the 50 benefiting communities were selected from eleven local areas in the state.
“It gives me great pleasure to launch this mega project by the CSDP in Taraba state.
“ I have great passion for the execution of projects handled by the CSDP because their mission is in line with my development trajectory as contained in my project blue book.
“The CSDP team in the state is sincere and hardworking and we can always count on them to deliver where others the state agencies may not easily reach.
“ And the quality of their projects is also quite commendable.
“The projects will cut across eleven local government areas of the state will surely bring the dividends of democracy closer to the people of our state.
“it will benefit those residents in the most remote areas of the state.
“This is an ongoing exercise and so the second phase would capture the other local government areas not covered by this first phase.
“ I urge you to use the funds judiciously and to stick to the approved projects and specifications to attain the desired goal of the project.
Earlier, Mr Ezekiel Danjuma, General Manager of the CSDP said that the remarkable success recorded by the CSDP in the state reflected the commitment of the state government.
Danjuma urged benefiting communities to take charge of the projects and ensure that they were not vandalized by hoodlums.
He further warned those who were to take custody of the funds to use them judiciously.
He said that the CSDP would not hesitate to invoke the wrath of the EFCC if anyone was suspected to embezzle any portion of the funds by any means.
“Today is really a milestone in our collective bid to bring development to the very nooks and crannies of our dear state.
“Today we are flagging off the distribution of over Five Hundred Million Naira for the implementation of various projects across over fifty communities in the state.
“This is made possible because the state governor Architect Darius Ishaku is more committed to CSDP than any other governor in the country and has always paid the counterpart fund promptly.
“ It will be recalled that the state government paid five Hundred million Naira last year and has concluded arrangements for the payment of another Three hundred million Naira this year.
“Let me urge the benefiting communities to take charge of the projects.
“ I must also warn that this money must be applied judiciously as we will invite EFCC to prosecute anyone who embezzled even a penny from this fund’, Danjuma said.
NAN recalls that CSDP is an ECOWAS initiative that is aimed at executing developmental projects in rural communities.
The platform has many other development partners.
(NAN)