Federal Government in collaboration with Local Governments Tuesday unveiled plans to spend a whooping sum of N50 billion for the implementation of the 2014 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) projects.
Under the arrangement, President Goodluck Jonathan approved the release of N25 billion as Federal Government’s counterpart funding while all the 250 benefiting Local Government Areas are to provide the balance of N25 billion.
Precious Gbenol, senior special assistant to the President on MDGs who gave the hint yesterday at the opening of the sensitization/training workshop for 2014 conditional grants scheme to local governments in Nigeria, told BUSINESSDAY that each benefiting LGA is to pay the sum of N100 million.
Gbenol also expressed satisfaction over the successes recorded through funds channeled via the Conditional Grants Scheme (CGS) and channels department relief gains (DRGs) to states and local governments across the country.
Some of the projects implemented under the CGS include construction of 12,342 water projects, 2,734 ventilated and improved VIP laterines; construction and equipping 5,206 health facilities; construction of 356 health workers and additional over 68,430 health workers as well as training of distribution of 520 referral vehicles (Ambulances) across the LGAs of the country in 2013.
Others include construction of 3,136 classrooms and training of education extension workers spreading across several local government areas in the country.
According to her, no fewer than 103,067 households and 1,074 agricultural cooperatives micro-credits grants benefited from the provision of conditional cash transfer (CCT) initiated under the MDGs initiative for the year under review.
While she informed of the proposed plan to launch the MDGs information system that will see to the assessment of inventory and needs in the areas of health, education, water and sanitations throughout the country to enhance research, development and planning, she also highlighted the thematic areas for CGS to local government in the year 2014 in the areas of health, education, water and sanitation.
In his remarks, Gado Garuba, Chairman, House Committee on MDG who lauded the achievements recorded so far, however stressed the need for timely release of funds.
Gado, who noted that the number of people living under $1 per day in Nigeria has reduced through the implementation of MDG initiatives, urged benefiting States and Local Government Areas to work assiduously and take advantage of the conditional grand scheme offered to them so as to consolidate the work of MDG.
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