FG, IFAD-VCDP DIALOGUES ON LG TAKE OVER FOR SUSTAINABILITY
By Henry C. Anagboso :
The Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Fund for Agricultural Development through its Programme, Value Chain Developments Programme (VCDP), Anambra office on Tuesday held a policy dialogue with stakeholders in Awka, the state capital.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Forster Ihejiofor in a remark said the Value Chain Programme is one that farmers in the participating LGAs and beyond have continued to testify of the impact of their various interventions.
Dr Forster said, the policy dialogue was
centered on “Integration of the Operation and Maintenance of the Rural Road Infrastructure in the Local Government AWPB for Sustainability” of the VCDP interventions in the LGAs.
The commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry,
Mrs. Uzoka explained that the policy dialogue would be further followed up to ensure acceptability and adoption to enable the sustenance of the feeder roads when the programme finally fades away.
“And on this day, we are gather to deliberate on a policy which centers on Integration of the Operation and Maintenance of the Rural Road Infrastructure in the Local Government AWPB for Sustainability. This will be further followed up to ensure acceptability and adoption to enable the sustenance of these feeder roads when the programme finally feeds away”
The Acting State Programme Coordinator, Dr. Deborah Onyefulu in her speech said the policy dialogue is coming at this time in the life of the programme to give it a soft landing as the programme is gradually winding up.
The Ag. SPC highlighted that VCDP has tried in its effort in making available the infrastructure across the participating local government areas, and has set up Operation Maintenance committee to maintain the road infrastructure, but as a means of strengthening the ownership of these infrastructure, it is therefore of most important to advocate the takeover of the operation and maintenance by the local government.
Dr. Onyefulu further explained that the policy dialogue is to brainstorm and adopt this policy and then follow up with more advocacy for implementation.
The chairman Civil Society Organization (CSO), Dr. Chris Azor while applauding the VCDP for coming up with such exit strategy said it’s quite a good step that the programme is engaging stakeholders for sustainability of programme interventions and called for grassroots engagements
Awka North Local Government Head of Department on Agric, Mrs. Gloria Ekebosi said it would be strategic that the Extension Agents, the Liaison officers must work hand in hand with the various local government executive chairmen even counselors to ensure there is regular oversight function to aid the adoption of the policy issue for sustainability.
* Anagboso is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State *
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