Osun CSDP Meets Council Managers, Desk Officers To Review Performance Of Projects

 

By Nofisat Marindoti

The agency in charge of Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) in the State of Osun, yesterday held its innovative quarterly performance review with the Council Managers and Desk Officers in the 68 Local Councils in the state.

The General Manager of Osun-CSDP, Mrs Funmi Abokede said the innovative quarterly performance review was aimed at assessing the activities of CSDP in all the 68 Local Councils in the state so as to be able to evaluate the performances of CSDP and enhance improvement.

During the review meeting, the Council Managers presented the reports on major activities and events of CSDP in their respective local councils and also gave their scorecards.

The Council Manager of Atakumosa East Local Government, Titi Olajuyigbe said the council completed various CSDP projects including the extension of electrification and installation of a transformer at Idaado so as to ensure stable electricity for the people in the area.

Olajuyigbe said “We also provided a Health Centre for the residents of Itaapa so that people there would be able to get primary healthcare. We constructed civic centres at Ijemba and Ise-Ijesa so that people would have befitting place to hold events, particularly town meetings. We gave them a borehole at Ipole”.

Speaking in the same vein, the Council Manager of Olorunda Local Government in Osogbo, Alhaji Rasaq Olasunkanmi Azeez also highlighted the achievements of CSDP in his council.

According to him, “Through the CSDP, we have constructed mini bridges across the council area. We also provided electricity for the residents of Oluwatedo community at Malam Tope area. We provided transformer resident of Aratumi community. We provided borehole for residents of Ifesowapo Zone 3 at Kelebe. We also provided a transformer for residents of Iyanoso Ajayi Community at Ayekale area”.

Olajuyigbe and Azeez commended the Chairmen of Atakumosa East and Olorunda local councils, Honourable Femi Kujenmbola and Honourable Femi Anisulowo for ensuring the completion of the projects.

All the Council Managers from the 30 Local Governments, 32 Local Community Development Areas, the four Area Councils and the two Administrative Offices also gave their scorecards while the CSDP state officials also make presentation at the innovative quarterly performance review.

The General Manager of Osun-CSDP, Mrs Aderomke Oluwafunmilayo Abokede commended the Council Managers and Desk Officers for their dedication to their duties and commitment to ensure success of CSDP projects.

Abokede however lamented that despite the existence of Local Government, the social conditions in Nigeria are still poor even with the rich endowment of natural and human resources.

She frowned that Local Government social services provision still remains inadequate and often inappropriate because of the ‘Top Down, Supply Driven’ approach which was the practice in most local councils.

She noted that the ‘Top Down, Supply Driven’ approach has not been able to meet the actual needs of the communities and that this led to the poor track records of public service delivery.

She explained innovative quarterly performance review of Osun CSDP organised to improve the capacity of the Council Managers and Desk Officers on Community Driven Development (CDD) which is Bottom Up and Demand Driven.

Abokede said the CDD approach ensures that poor communities benefit from and participate in development efforts. She noted that CDD is an important approach focusing on appropriate development interventions and at the same time reaching very large numbers of poor people.

She said the innovative quarterly performance review is also a constructive engagement that serves as a platform for social accountability through which the Council Managers give report of their Local Councils’ Performance on the use of CDD approach and how they have used public resources to deliver services and improve welfare of the people in the communities across the state.

According to her, “It is expected that the feedback from this performance review will be used by the Local Councils to improve support for CDD projects, promote accountability in governance and better public service delivery.”

“CDD is responsive to local demands, inclusive and more cost effective compared to the Top Down, Supply Driven approach. It is imperative to have understanding of characteristics of CDD projects”, Abokede said.