The National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) and partners have agreed to extend the pro-poor Growth for Peace Consolidation (GPC) programme to Kambia District.
In January 2019, GoSL and the Federal Republic of Germany through the German Development Bank (KfW) signed a Financial Cooperation Agreement of Euro 20,000 million for the extension of the GPC programme to a third phase - GPC III - for a further four years ending in 2023. This phase of the programme is known as GPC III, succeeding the GPC I & II programmes which ran from 2006-2018.
In his welcome address, Dr. Nabieu Yayah Yillah thanked the government of Sierra Leone for the quick response to the needs of the Kambia People. He said since the New Direction government came to power, they had responded swiftly to some of their demands such as water, light, cash transfer support to youths and vulnerable people through NaCSA.
The Resident Minister for North-West, Haja Isata Abdulai Kamara called on NaCSA's Commissioner and team to continue to provide more support for the people of Kambia and the region as a whole.
In her submission, NaCSA's Director of field operations, Catherine Sillah said the project was to improve the livelihood of the people by “providing employment and income situation especially for youths in rural communities by providing enhance economic infrastructure such as, feeder roads, bridges, grain stores with ancillary, cattle paddock and water wells along selected agriculture value chain, constructed by using labour- intensive approach.”
The Project Coordinator for the Government Regional Rice Value Chain Programme, Bun Wai expressed satisfaction and thanked NaCSA and the Government and People of the Federal Republic of Germany for the “good initiatives and intentions” to come to Kambia District at this particular point in time that the government of Sierra Leone was fighting hard to see its staple food multiply and be able to feed its people and at the same time be able to export.
Rice shall be the support value chain; thus, the investment will be focused on the rehabilitation of feeder roads to facilitate the access to market and the construction of grain stores to minimize post-harvest losses and community development in the rice belt area of Kambia district, say the organisers.
In his statement, NaCSA Deputy Commissioner, Sir Jimmy Batilo Songs admonished young people to be part of development initiatives as the future is youth.
“I am here to support the Commissioner and communities where NaCSA is implementing projects so that the gains of the commission and the government as a whole will not go unnoticed by the people of this country,” Batilo said.
The Commissioner of NaCSA, Dr Sao-Kapto Hannah Isata Max-Kyne was pleased with the turnout of the people of Kambia district.
“We are here today to consult on the commencement of the GPC project in Kambia District. The extension of this project to the district demonstrates the readiness of the Bio-led government in revamping agriculture across all districts devoid of political affiliation” she said.
She encouraged the people of Kambia to come up with ideas and solutions as the workshop was an interactive one, adding that whatever the outcomes might be in their deliberations, his team and the other partners involved would look at it keenly and try to adopt it so it could be a win-win situation for all.
“NaCSA is working with council and will continue working with all Councils, MDAs, Civil Society, the Grassroots and Donor Partners,” she ended.
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