By Alpha Abu
Senior officials of the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) have held discussions with representatives of four district Councils on the Pro-poor Growth for Peace Consolidation (GPC) Programme.
The councils represented at the discussions were Kambia, Koinadugu, Kono, Falaba and Kailahun.
The Commissioner of NaCSA - Dr. Sao-Kpato Max-Kyne told the gathering that the inclusion of Kambia district was to support the government’s agenda in strengthening the value chain for rice across the country.
She said other districts now yearn for the GPC project because of its “impact in promoting rural development and providing employment for young people, aiming at complementing the efforts of the government“.
Dr. Max-Kyne noted that since 2002 NaCSa has been active in Kailahun, Kono, Koinadugu and Falaba districts and that the Commission was going to remain fully operational in the existing areas.
Deputy Commissioner of NaCSA, Jimmy Batilo Songa spoke about the pivotal role of the Commission in enhancing the government’s development’s projects in the country and highlighted his role as a deputy Commissioner in supporting the Commissioner and management to deliver the mandate of the Commission.
"The dream of the president must come to light, and if that should happen, we should collaborate with radical focus", Batilo Songa said.
The chairperson for Kambia District Council Mohamed Yayah Bangura thanked the government and NaCSA for considering Kambia and expressed his satisfaction at the level of engagement between NaCSA and stakeholders on the implementation of the project.
The Programme Manager GPC Salifu Mansaray pointed out that the traditional project districts of Falaba, Kailahun and Koinadugu rely on the Employment Promotion Program of GIZ for them to continue to benefit from the process. The meeting stressed the need for greater collaboration between the various parties to the project.
The GPC programme is funded by the German government through the KFW Development Bank and its key objective is to consolidate peace by providing services to communities with the active participation of local youths. The programme supports district councils on the maintenance of feeder roads and also provides economic infrastructure facilities along a selected value chain. Generally young people are recruited on such projects through training under the German Cooperation and Development Agency or GIZ.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online 10/03/21
