Not less than 23 Abia Communities have been ear-marked as those that will enjoy project funds that have been approved by the state Governor, Dr Alex Chioma Otti, through Abia state Agency for Community and Social Development. The Communities were picked up from ten Local Governments, who earlier submitted their most important needs for approval, which must be kick-started withing two weeks of disbursement of fund next week. This was disclosed at a training organized for the representatives of the Communities, at Bishop Nwedo’s Center, along BCA road, Umuahia.
Speaking at the event, Governor Alex Otti who was represented by Rev Fr. Christian Anokwuru, his Special Adviser on Policies and Interventions, said he is in a hurry to develop every part of the state.
Also, the General Manager of Abia state Agency for Community and Social Development Project, Ekejiuba Ekpo while speaking on Thursday during a training program for members Community Project Monitoring Committee (CPMC) from the benefitting communities, said that the agency would carry out strict monitoring and evaluation of the construction of projects in the communities, to ensure that the funds giving to the communities are not embezzled or fraudulently diverted.
According to him, Abia state government is contributing 95% of the funds while the benefitting communities are contributing 5% counterpart fund even as he said that community development officers from LGAs have been deployed to also monitor the projects.
He noted that Governor Alex Otti is interested in developing every part of the state, especially the rural communities where basic amenities are lacking.
The General Manager who tasked the members of the Project Monitoring Committee to ensure transparency, accountability and dedication, warned that the funds would be thoroughly audited to ensure that it tallied with the quality of jobs executed.
The 23 benefitting communities are Amaeke-Alayi, Uhabiri, Ohokobe, Umuode Nsulu, Ndiaku, Ugwunagbo, Ogbuebele, Oria Na Agu, Abala and Nunya.
Others are Avonkwu, Ndiokereke Abam, Amaeke Isiegbu, Ajata Okwuru, Umuodeche, Ndiudumukwu, Nsukwe, Amato Isingwu and Umuawa Alaocha. The rest are Umuajiji Isieke, Mbato Ofoeme and Mbom Afarata communities.
The projects to be executed include primary health centres, water boreholes, reconstruction of school buildings.
