The Osun State Agency for Community and Social Development Project, an agency of Osun in partnership with World Bank and the Federal Government on Wednesday organized a special workshop for selected journalists in the state.
The workshop, which was attended by thirty media houses drawn from prints, broadcast and online media was held in Osogbo, the state capital.
Briefing the participants on the motive of the training, the General Manager of Osun CSDP, Mrs Funmi Abokede said the agency has in its ten years of existence, contributed towards development of several communities in all thirty local government areas of the state and therefore, seeks partnership with the media to project their activities to the world.
She explained that the agency deemed it fit to organize the training in order to present language of operation of the agency.
She further emphasized that the agency only give 90 to 95 percent counterpart funding to communities to execute and implement projects, adding that Osun CSDP does not implement projects.
Abokede thanked the governor of the state, Mr Gboyega Oyetola for his support to the agency despite paucity of funds. She in the same vein appreciated the World Bank for the trust and support, promising to ensure further effective utilization of the funds.
Speaking on aims cycle CSDP Abokede said that the agency is saddled with the responsibility of assisting participating communities to develop and Implement their Development plans.
According to her, the CDP is a comprehensive community plan for Development activities within a community and contains a portfolio of micro-projects.
She further explained that “once SA approves a CDP, the micro-projects would be implemented one after the other in accordance with approved plan. Thus, unless the first micro-project selected for implementation is successfully completed, grants shall not be released by the SA for the others.
Participants were taken through operational procedures of the agency by the Operational Manager, Felix Akinwale; and Community and Social Development Cycle by the Finance and Administration Manager, Akinsola Ogunsakin.
Participants expressed their satisfaction over the workshop, stating that it will enhance the choice of words while reporting activities of the Osun CSDP.
One of the participants, Mr. Gbenga Faturoti, commended the organisers of the workshop saying it would in small measure shaping the knowledge of the participants on what the agency really stand for and the purpose of their Intervention to the participating communities.
According to the media Practitioner, CSDP has helped in assisting participating Communities to develop and Implement their Community Development Plans, urging the Govonor and the Co-donors to boost the efforts of CSDP by supporting them with enormous funds.
