The Enugu State Government, yesterday, warned community leaders in the state against misuse of funds meant for World Bank-assisted projects in their area.
Commissioner for Rural Development, Chief Emeka Mamah, gave the warning in Enugu, while declaring open a training workshop for members of the Community Project Management Committee.
According to Mamah, the state government is committed to better the lot of rural dwellers in the state.
He said: “We want you to be responsive and accountable even to the least kobo,’’ he said.
He cautioned that government and the World Bank would not tolerate fraudulent acts and mismanagement of funds.
The commissioner charged the participants to take the training seriously.
He futher urged the benefitting communities to take the advantage of the projects to transform their communities and lift them out of poverty.
Dr Maximus Asogwa, the General Manager of the state’s Community for Social Development Project (CSDP), said that the training was to educate the participants on the vision of the organisation.
Asogwa said that the event was also to remind the participants of their expected roles in the execution of the projects in their communities.
He said that CSDP projects were community-driven and that government initiated the projects to improve the lives of the people.
The Manager of Gender and Vulnerable Unit of CSDP, Mrs Ngozi Ogbu, said the unit was created to address the imbalance in the rights and opportunities of men and women.
Ogbu advocated equal treatment for all genders, care for abandoned children and those from broken homes and People Living with HIV/AIDS.
Mr Anthony Onu, the Manager, Finance and Administration Manager of CSDP, said that financial management was critical to the implementation of World Bank-assisted projects.
“Budget for the project should be followed strictly with internal control and accounting of funds flows.
“Responsibility should be shared for checks and accountability,’’ Onu said.