Friday, July 22, 2011

Bauchi communities gets N100m grant from World Bank

The Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) has selected 18 communities in six local government areas of Bauchi State to benefit from a World Bank grant,
just as the Bank has so far spent over N100 million on community projects in the state.
The general manager of the agency, Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed made this known yesterday, while addressing the six benefiting communities (in Darazo and Ningi) at a pre-disbursements workshop held at Awalah Hotel in Bauchi.
According to him, there is the need for the selected communities to ensure the actualisation of their 10 percent contribution (counterpart funding), to enable them enjoy the World Bank grant.
He said that the contribution is mandatory for any community to benefit from the scheme and challenged them to hasten their payment.
The general manager said that the state government had already paid its own N100 million counterpart funding and appealed to the communities who have no access to social amenities to declare their interest.
Mr Mohammed said for any community to qualify for the World Bank grant, it must write to declare its interest in the project, open an account, produce its community development plan and its officials for community management committee.
Mr Mohammed who said that the project was established in local government areas of Toro, Dass, Danbam, Bogoro, Katagum, Itas-Gadau, Ganjuwa and Misua, added that the 15 additional local government areas, that the project has scaled through include: Shira, Zaki, Kirfi, Ningi and Darazo, making a total of 42.
Labour ministry trains 923
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity has turned out 923 students under its Skills Upgrading/Training Centre in Bauchi from October, 2009 to July this year.
Of this figure, 321 were graduated from the Centre in Bauchi where they were taught 10 different vocational trades to make them self-reliant and productive.
According to the Bauchi State controller of Labour, Mohammed Yagi, the Ministry's vision is to promote and create employment opportunities, empower youth through skill acquisition, among others.
Mr Yagi who was speaking at the graduation ceremony of the third batch of students from the centre said the skill acquisition training is in line with the present administration's economic empowerment of the youth.
Mr Yagi revealed that the centre was confronted with multifarious problems, foremost of which are funding and engagement of permanent staff as it currently uses ad-hoc instructors.
The principal of the centre, Gbokiss Jatau had earlier said that the graduation of the trainees is a testimony of the Federal Government's effort aimed at reducing poverty, unemployment, social menace, and promotion of self-reliance among youth.


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