Community and Social Deve1opment Project (CSDP) is the outcome of an agreement between the Federal Government and the World Bank anchored on the 2005 – 2007 Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) to harmonize World Bank funded Community Driven Development (GDD) projects in the country.
The harmonization process, which informed the merger of Community-Based Poverty Reduction Project (GPRP) and Local Empowerment and Environmental Management Project (LEEMP), is to ensure that resources are effectively and efficiently targeted in reducing poverty levels in the country.
The CDD harmonization process was driven by the need to empower communities by giving them more resources and the authority to use them flexibly, more efficiently and cost effectively by channelling funds directly to communities, improve target and achieve more resu1ts on the ground, avoid over lap, mainstream CDD approach into institutional structures at local, State and Federal levels also to build capacities of local governments to take on the roles of facilitating community-driven development.
One of the key highlights of the CSDP is that clear-cut supportive roles and responsibilities are provided for the key actors in the project cycle.
The Abia-CSDP was declared effective on the 1st of April, 2009 by the World Bank. The Law No 2 of 2009 passed by the Abia State House of Assembly established the Agency in the state, following the fulfilment of precondition for participation in the CSDP by His Excellency, Chief T. A. Orji (Ochendo).
The Abia CSDP Technical Project Launch was held on the 25th of March, 2010, where the Project was formally flagged-off in the state by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State, Chief T. A. Orji, ably represented by the then Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mazi Donatus Okorie. The event was massively attended by all stakeholders, especially the community members who are the real beneficiaries.
CSDP OBJECTIVES
The overall goal of the CSDP is to improve access to services for Human Development (HD).
To achieve this goal, the Project Development Objective (PDO) is to support empowerment of communities and LocaI Government Authorities (LGAs) for sustainable increase access of poor people to improved social and, natural resource infrastructure services.
Specifically, the CSDP hopes to:
- Empower communities to pi an, part-finance, imp1ement, monitor and maintain sustainable and socially inclusive multi-sectoral micro-projects;
- Facilitate and increase Community-LGA partnership on HD-related projects;
- Increase the capacity of LGAs, State and Federal Agencies to implement and monitor CDD policies and interventions; and
- Leverage FederaI, State and LocaI government resources for greater coverage of CDD interventions in communities.
FUNDABLE (ELIGIBLE) MICRO-PROJECTS
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
- Feeder roads: construction and rehabilitation ” Culverts, bridges, drifts and stock routes
- Boreholes (with or without pumps)
- Deep open concrete cement well SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
- Health faciIities
- Potable water supply facilities
- Rural electrification
- Construction and rehabilitation of primary and secondary schools, dormitory blocks and classrooms, staff quarters, laboratories.
- Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) toilets
- Television viewing centres
- Civic centres
- Water transportation (provision of engine boats, speed boats, etc)
OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE
- Rural market facilities
- Vocational training centres (skill development centres)
- Community common facilities
ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
- Soil conservation /erosion control/flood control.
- Agro-forestry.
- Desertification control.
- Water catchments systems.
- Drainage systems.
- Community wood 1ots, using indigenous species, inc1uding wood lots for fuel wood.
- Decentralized nurseries raising seedlings of economic trees, indigenous tree/grass species and medicinal plants.
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
Within the State, there are three broad categories of institutions that must exist, to facilitate the attainment of the CSDP objectives. They are:-
STATE LEVEL INSTITUTIONS
- State Agency Board (SAB)
- State Agency (SA)
- Relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL INSTITUTIONS
- Local Government Review Committee (LGRC)
- Local Government Desk Office (LGDO)
COMMUNITY LEVEL INSTITUTIONS
- Community Project Management Committee (GPMC)
- Sub-Committees (for various functions)
- Community Development Associations GDAs
STATUTORY FUNCTIONS
- Providing fund to communities and ensuring their participation in project identification, design, implementation and monitoring;
- Empowering communities and local governments to take charge of their own development needs;
- Ameliorating of environmental degradation processes with the active participation of the rural community;
- Ensuring sustainable management of natural resources to enhance income of rural people;
- Encouraging transparency and accountability in project management and governance at all levels;
- Alleviating poverty;
- Creating employment opportunities;
- Ensuring that Donor support is appropriately targeted at the community level; and
- Articulating a workab1e mechanism for ensuring complementariness of Donor Support at the community level,
- Mainstreaming gender and vulnerable in to the development agenda of communities.
SENSITIZATION AND ADVOCACY
Sensitizations and advocacies on CSDP commenced in earnest in 2009 and have continued. Part of the outcome was the passage of bye laws in 6 (six) LGAs namely, Bende, Ohafia, Ikwuano, Isialangwa North, Isialangwa South and Umuahia North and later, eleven (11) LGAs of Abia State through State House of Assembly legislation. Similarly, the state government efforts in the provision of social amenities to the rural poor through the Agency are made visible for legacies through the Media. No gainsaying that the Agency has braced up to the challenge as the vanguard of the good intentions of the Ochendo administration.
CAPACITY BUILDING
Capacities of Abia CSDP stakeholders, including LGAs, line ministries and NGOs, have been built in line with World Bank directives. A total number of 51 staff members from the 17 LocaI Government CounciIs were trained on Community Driven Development (CDD) between the 23rd and 26th of March, 2011 at the instance of the Federal Project Support Unit (FPSU). The officers include Chairmen, Heads of Service (HQSs) and Community Development Officers CCDOs).
Since inception, 2 sets of trainings for LGRCs have been conducted with the theme: Understanding the Roles and Responsibilities of LGRC members. The first phase, conducted from 11th to 13th May, 2010, was to cover the members of LGAs of the first 6 inaugurated LGRC team while the second phase, which covered another 7 LGAs LGRC members namely, was held between 11th and 12th August, 2011. The training workshop proved to achieve the set objectives.
Five (5) sets of CPMC trainings have been conducted, covering 45 communities.
