To accelerate grassroots development, particularly in the fields of agriculture, agro-allied industrialisation, and vital infrastructure, the administration of Enugu State has announced that it will increase financing for development projects by local government councils in the state by 60%.
The move, according to the government, is intended to strengthen the rural economy and provide jobs for the teeming youth population. This was announced following a meeting of the Enugu State Economic Planning Commission on Monday at the Government House in Enugu.
The Mbah administration wanted to establish a progressive partnership with the local governments by providing marching funds for chosen projects that align with the state government’s economic agenda, according to Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Secretary to the State Government, who spoke to Government House reporters shortly after the meeting attended by the council chairmen.
The SSG stated that one of the main goals of the decision was to support agro-allied processing zones and a land bank of 300,000 hectares for commercial farming while also opening up rural areas to economic development activities in the domains of agriculture and industrialisation.
“What we are planning to do is that the local governments are going to go into their communities. All the forest areas that may be locations for criminality, the local governments have agreed that they are going to open the areas.
“But the key thing is that they are going to enhance the economic activities in the rural area and open it up for economic activities to provide job opportunities for our teeming youths.
“It is a partnership where the state government brings 60 per cent of local governments’ 40 per cent. So, whatever they bring for those capital projects, the state government will match it to the tune of 60 per cent. But this is for specific, agreed projects between the state and the local governments,” the SSG further disclosed.
In addition, the partnership with the state government will help in the funding of priority projects that have a direct impact on the lives of the people while also promoting transparency, accountability, and traceability in the management of local government funds by the council areas, according to Hon. Sydney Okechukwu Edeh, Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) Enugu State chapter.
“I think the governor has decided to come to our rescue, because we at the local government sector have been having a series of problems trying to execute capital projects.
“But with the state now offering to take up 60 per cent of the cost of approved projects, we will now be encouraged to not only execute so many projects, but also highly qualitative projects to the benefits of the rural communities and economies.
“The most important thing is that there is going to be transparency, traceability and accountability in what we are doing. So it is a partnership that must work, and we are good with it.
“As ALGON, we have assured the governor of our commitment and cooperation to make sure we move our state forward,” he added.
