Nifemi Babasanmi
The Chairman House of representatives committee on Civil society and development matters,Hon Obuzor Victor Chukwuemele has charged local government chairmen in Nigeria to seize the opportunity of accessing available international funds in order to ease development.
Tagged capacity development on accessing international funding for local government projects/programs implementation from multilateral development partners,
He emphasised that this if done could reduce poor education,physical development, health care delivery,empowerment,disease control and other aspects of development.
This funds according to Hon Obuzor are there but needed to be accessed for only genuine purposes.
He also cited the corporate social responsibility required of multi national companies and companies where certain percentage of their earnings are expected to be given to the society.
He reiterated the urgent need for the local governments to think beyond just the allocation they get from government. When the necessary projects are put in place the funds are there either from USAID, JICA, DFID, Actionaid or other donor agencies that are up to eighty thousand across the world.
Dr Umar Bako,the project consultant and convener in his opening remarks called on the local governments in Nigeria to take charge as the third tier of government that the grassroots look upon in terms of development going by the role local governments play in lives of the people.
Dr Umar Bako decried the low turnout of local government chairmen and representatives describing it as a setback. He implored the association for local governments algon to mobilise their members for attendance of such sensitive workshops.
“Rather than seeing the local governments as conduit pipe,the utilisation and accessment of foreign donations and grants can help in achieving instant development.”
Dr Bako thanked participants and call for increased participation.
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