The Enugu State Government has announced its commitment to provide a substantial 60 percent increase in funding for local government development projects.
According to Daily Post, the move, according to the government, is intended to strengthen the rural economy and provide jobs for the teeming youth population.
It was announced following a meeting of the Enugu State Economic Planning Commission on Monday at the Government House in Enugu.
The Mbah administration wanted to establish a progressive partnership with the local governments by providing marching funds for chosen projects that are in line with the state government’s economic agenda, according to Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, while speaking to reporters outside Government House shortly after the meeting attended by the council chairmen.
The SSG stated that one of the main goals of the decision was to support agro-allied processing zones and a land bank of 300,000 hectares for commercial farming while also opening up rural regions to economic development activities in the sectors of agriculture and agro-allied industrialization.
“What we are planning to do is that the local governments are going to go into their communities. All the forest areas that may be locations for criminality, the local governments have agreed that they are going to open the areas.
“But the key thing is that they are going to enhance the economic activities in the rural area and open it up for economic activities to provide job opportunities for our teeming youths.
“It is a partnership where the state government brings 60 per cent of local governments’ 40 per cent. So, whatever they bring for those capital projects, the state government will match it to the tune of 60 per cent. But this is for specific, agreed projects between the state and the local governments,” the SSG further disclosed.
