Gov. Ishaku through CSDP have drilled over 500 Boreholes across the state~ Mr Irimiya E. Danjuma (GM) CSDP

Gov. Ishaku through CSDP have drilled  over 500 Boreholes across the state~ Mr Irimiya E. Danjuma (GM) CSDP

The General Manager (GM) of Community and Social Development Program (CSDP) in Taraba, Mr. Irimiya Ezekiel Danjuma has said the (CSDP) has done considerably well in achieving its goals in Taraba. He highlighted that, the program has done a lot in the health sector of the state, youth empowerment through skills acquisition, built and renovated 108 schools. Others are building of public toilets to discourage public defecation, housing for IDPs, building of market stalls to mention a few. 

When asked by Frontline Newz correspondence in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital about the World Bank and its participation in the program and also whether the program is a state government program and its efforts in the state water resources, he said, "It is the misunderstanding that the people have, and we try as much as possible during our sensitization exercise to tell them, that even the money that the World Bank is giving is a loan to the state. It is called World Bank, no bank gives free money. It's a loan to the state. A precondition for the World Bank intervention is that the state will also bring money. It's called counterpart funding. So, it is the two money that is put together to facilitate the projects. However, apart from the money the state government attracts from the World Bank, Taraba state is so committed to this program and has so far disbursed over N700m for this project, to ensure that the rural communities are reached. Our work is done in such a way that you cannot lie about it because every project has a GPS code to ensure supervision from Abuja and the World Bank. You cannot exempt the state government in this program because, without the efforts of the state government, CSDP will achieve nothing.

You cannot say you sank borehole in Karim and think no one will go and supervise it. The GPS will pick it up. We have records of borehole sank by CSDP to 509 hand pump boreholes sank by the agency." Mr. Danladi said.

At the ultimate year 2019, the CSDP Taraba recorded great success as it performed above the annual target. This is as a result of the clearance and clarification of the Agency management by the World Bank to review and approve Community Development Plans (CDPs) and Group Development Plans (GDPs), a certification only Taraba state and few others were able to meet up. This was achieved through the good effort of the Governor of Taraba state and for allowing the Agency to operate independently.

On the part of the Taraba state government, Governor Darius revitalized the Taraba state water agency, ensuring that the state enjoys the availability of potable water. The Governor's commitment to the provision of water has seen the drilling of over 2 hundred (200) boreholes across the state. Beyond his efforts in the water sector, he ensures that he meets up with his part of the funding of the CSDP activities in Taraba as counterpart funding.

CSDP is a community-driven development program, with a focus on rural areas of the state. The development objective of (CSDP) for Nigeria, is to sustainably increase access of poor people to social and natural resource infrastructure services. 

Today, communities across Taraba feel the presence of CSDP for its grassroots-based activities in various communities.