The Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Niger-Delta (LIFE-ND) is strengthening its enterprise groups by integrating them into the Commodity Apex Development Association (CADA) in order to face the challenges of the agro intervention and maintain sustainability in the state after the project exit.
CADA is LIFE-ND’ farmers cooperative, an umbrella economic group that is saddled with the responsibility of loan disbursement and repayment, community project oversight, institutional strengthening and coordination.
According to Mr. Anthony Nwaobilor, the Rural Institution, Youth and Gender Officer of Abia LIFE-ND, during the strengthening and inauguration of CADA executives in visited communities, said the exercise is a deliberate attempt to integrate the enterprise groups into CADA to see how they can revitalize the group in order to face the challenges and responsibilities the project has assigned to them.
Nwaobilor added that the move became necessary because the CADA has fallen short of what they are expected to do and the management of Abia LIFE-ND is in the field to fix those errors and gaps by dissolving CADA groups that are not functioning well to meet the project’s objectives in their community.
To ensure the objectives, the Abia life LIFE-ND team visited Ipu West Autonomous Community in Owaza, Ukwa West, Umuaka Autonomous Community, Asa South, Ukwa West and Amapu Ntigha, Isiala-ngwa North area of Abia State. The team dissolved CADA groups that has been inactive as well as strengthing the existing to function optimally.
“Today we visited these communities, we have seen that the CADA is not functioning well, we have dissolved the CADA. In this community we have over forty five beneficiaries of LIFE-ND Project, we can have better brains to manage the CADA in this community. Right now the beneficiaries are happy as we’re reconstituting the beneficiaries”. Mr. Nwaobilor said.
Mr. Wisdom Ukonu, the State Administration and Resources Officer of Abia LIFE-ND on his part added that the LIFE-ND Project has declared a state of emergency on the sub-component 1.4 of the project which is the primary reason why he and his team are on the field. He added that the CADA is seen as the rural institution which is formed as the exit strategy of the project.
“We’re here to ensure that they are functional and we can be rest assured that the investment of this project will continue and not to be a wasteful venture”. Mr. Wisdom said.
The process of strengthening the CADA executives in the communities also entertained questions from beneficiaries and incubators which were all centered on the lapses and ways of strengthing the CADA system in their community.
After the assessment of the CADA groups in various communities, some were dissolved and others reconstituted.
Umunakwe Godson emerged as the Chairman of CADA, Ipu West autonomous community. He assured that he will give his best as LIFE-ND has impacted positively in his life as a beneficiary.
Nworgu Lawrence, who emerged as the Auditor General of CADA, Ipu West autonomous community, Uwaza, Ukwa West LGA of Abia State expressed excitement and confidence on the discharge of his responsibility as a member of CADA executive in his community.
“I will oversee that every person who is to remit any token to CADA will do that. I will get the list of all the beneficiaries so that I will supervise”. Mr. Nworgu assured.
The newly integrated CADA executives in the communities were sworn into office as they took their oat of office pledging their allegiance.
Chief Okenze Nworgu, the traditional Prime minister of Amapu Ntigah in Isiala-Ngwa North LGA who is also an incubator(trainer) of the beneficiaries of the project expressed satisfaction with the Abia LIFE-ND team intervention which he described as a sensitive action which has prompted members of his community to move into action and determined to keep the project rolling in his community.
Chief Okenze applauded the activities of LIFE-ND and posited that LIFE-ND is a household name in this community as youths and others have welcomed the LIFE-ND Project.
He advised the youths of his community to remain committed to LIFE-ND Projects in the community and show commitment to repay the start-up loan.
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