The World Bank in collaboration with the Kogi State government has identified seven local government areas in the state for special intervention in the areas of social and infrastructural development for vulnerable groups.
The General Manager, Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency, Mallam Momoh Dauda, disclosed this yesterday in Okene, at the end of a two-day capacity building programme for stakeholders on Group Development Plans (GDPs) formation and implementation for Desk Officers, Community Development Officers, LGAs Gender Officers and NGOs.
Mallam Dauda, who listed the benefitting local government areas as Okene, Okehi, Ibaji, Ijumu, Kogi, Olamaboro and Ajaokuta, said the introduction of Gender and Vulnerable Groups (GVGs) like widows, orphans and people living with disabilities into the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) became imperative because their interests were not fully integrated in previous projects.
“If there is abundance of infrastructure and people’s lives are in misery, the development goals of the government may not be fully actualised”, he said.
According to him, the training programme was designed to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills for gender consideration and how to improve their access to available social and infrastructural services.
On his part, the acting Board Chairman of Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency, Engr Emmanuel Audu, said the multi-sectoral intervention of the agency underscores the need to build partnerships with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), private sectors, community-based organisations and Non Governmental Organizations.
Engr. Audu added that the Vulnerable Group Investment (VGI) would ensure access to social and livelihood support services by an increased number of vulnerable people and to give voice to the poor and most disadvantaged people in the communities.
