A document obtained from the World Bank Aide memoire and released after an implementation support commission for Community and Social Development Project, CSDP-Nigeria, revealed that Cross River is leading 25 other participating states on the project in terms of disbursement of grants.

According to the World Bank, the provision of grants to communities is a project requirement and key item in the Community Development Project Cycle, which enables communities’ access needed funds for effective implementation of their projects to improve access to basic services.

The World Bank explained that the funds released through the State Community and Development Agency is germane for the project to actualize its planned development objective. It pointed out that such exemplary gesture of the state government has sustainably improved access of poor people to basic necessities of life with majority of them being women and children.

The apex bank maintained that Cross River state is among a few states in the country that met its strenuous effectiveness conditions, enabling it to start drawing down from the $200 million International Development Association (IDA) credit. It added that through the Cross River Community and Social Development Agency, the state has provided funding for 247 approved Community Development plans comprising; 673 micro-projects distributed across eight sectors of Education, Environment, Gender and Vulnerable, Health, Rural, Electrification, Social, Economic as well as Transport and Water supply.

Source: The tide, March 2nd, 2015