Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State
By Orubu, A.A.
A major string of Social Contract between modern democratic governments and their people is the entrenchment of an institutionalized process of improving the well-being of the citizenry in any given part of the polity, whether urban or rural communities. While urban settlements are known to be dotted with copious government presence through an avalanche of social amenities, rural communities, many of which play host to our natural resources, are left without access to basic social infrastructure.
Evidence abound that even in the face of declining resources, government at various levels do initiate policies and programs that are directed towards the provision of social amenities for the rural populace. In this regard, government has devised and employed several strategies and approaches in a genuine attempt to fast track infrastructural development in rural communities. The approaches include contract driven approach, grant in aid, matching grants and the integrated approach, among others. Characteristically, these approaches are known to run from the top to the bottom with the beneficiaries often not being involved in the process of execution. It is in this regard that the Community Driven Development as an approach becomes imperative.
Community Driven Development (CDD) is an initiative of the World Bank. The World Bank recognizes that CDD approaches and actions are important elements of an effective poverty reduction and sustainable development strategy. Community Driven Development program operates on the principles of self-help, transparency, community participation, accountability and enhanced local capacity. With the CDD approach, it has been observed that rural community members on their own can effectively utilize financial support to achieve their felt needs.
The impact of CDD has been remarkable in Delta State. As an arm of the State Employment and Expenditure for Result (SEEFOR) Project, it is institutionalized as Community Driven Development Social Implementation Unit and domiciled in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development. At its inception in September, 2013, it was restricted to three local government areas (LGAs) as a pilot study. The LGAs are Ughelli North, Isoko South and Ndokwa West to represent the three senatorial districts in the state. At that time, the unit entered six rural communities, viz: Oreba, Uwheru, Oviri-Ogor, Uruwhre-Igbede, Oviri Olomoro. Ibabu and Ndemili. By 2014, it became open to communities in all the local government areas of the Sstate. So far, 192 rural communities have been sensitized on the CDD Project. Seventy-Five (75) Communities successfully secured grants to execute two micro-projects each after they have gone through the project cycles of First Entry, Participatory Rural Appraisal, Supervision of preparation of Community Development Plans, Field Appraisal Visits, Approval and endorsement of Community Development Plans, Training of Community Project Management Committee members, Project Launch, monitoring of execution of micro-projects by communities, supervision of execution of micro-projects till completion, commissioning of completed micro-projects and post evaluation of completed micro-projects. A total of 136 community projects were executed out of which 125 have been completed for use while 11 are on-going.
The benefitting communities have come to embrace the CDD Project as the magic wand for rural transformation. This they have demonstrated vividly during the commissioning of projects. Evidently, rural community members are thankful to His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, for the payment of the state counterpart contribution.
They also appreciate the World Bank and European Union for making them have access to the projects which have not only transformed their communities but have also helped to reduce poverty, generate wealth and add value to countless number of lives of such benefitting communities.
An overview of the CDD Projects indicate that the unit has actually surpassed the targets given by the World Bank. The impact it has created amongst the rural populace has been very impressive and widespread. There would be the need to sustain the ideas and concepts of Community Driven Development so as to transform the whole of rural communities in Delta State. This therefore calls for adequate budgetary provision towards the goal of transforming rural communities as set by the World Bank and prayed for by such community members.
Mrs Orubu Is The Project Director, CDDSIU, Delta
