Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
The Zamfara Community and Social Development Programme (CSDP) says it will disburse N40.2 million to women groups and communities under the World Bank intervention projects in the state.
The General Manager of the agency, Alhaji Garba Muhammad, disclosed this at the pre-project implementation training organised for the benefitting groups and communities in Gusau on Saturday.
Reports state that the agency is being funded by the World Bank, Federal and Zamfara Governments.
Muhammad said the agency had the mandate of funding groups, communities and supervising operations to ensure that quality and effective projects are implemented.
According to him, over N40.2 million would be disbursed to five groups and communities for various projects on education, health, environment and empowerment sectors.
“One of the World Bank guidelines for any group or community to access this assistance is that it must form either Group Projects Management Committees (GPMC) or Community Project Management Committees (CPMC).
“The work of the committees is to implement the projects approved by the agency in their respective areas.
“The projects to be implemented must not be less than two and not more than five by each group or community and not be more than N10 million.
“A group or community to receive the assistance must raise 10 per cent of the total cost of the projects,’’ the general manager said.
In his remarks, the Operation Manager of the Agency, Malam Sani Buhari urged the committees to ensure proper utilisation of the resources that would be given to them on the projects.
“You should ensure fairness and justice while executing the projects.
“You should ensure unity and provide proper solutions to address conflicts among you and improve your relationship with the whole community,’’ he said
Buhari also enjoined the project implementation committees to always consider their responsibilities in order to provide qualitative projects.
Earlier, the Project Officer, Information, Education, Communication and Training of the agency, Alhaji Umar Nakwada, said the participants were from three women groups from Bungudu, Tsafe and Kwanar-Maje communities.
Other participants included members of two Community Project Management Committees from Bungudu and Talata-Mafara local government areas of the state.
“Various resources persons would deliver lectures and presentations on topics like conflict management, environmental safeguards, book-keeping, stores management and report writing during the training,’’ Nakwada said.
