Garki Enjoins JICA To Extend Goodwill To Rural Areas
By: Akuta Shedrack & Gambo Nancy
The Mandate Secretary of the Area Councils Services Secretariat in the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Bitrus Lawrence Garki, has enjoined the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to extend its goodwill to the Satellite Towns and Local Communities to improve the standard of living of residents in those communities.
The Mandate Secretary made this call in Abuja, while receiving some office equipment donated by the Capacity Development for Nutrition in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT-CADNIP), anintervention Programme by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Garki commended the Agency for taking such a giant step; saying that such programme will go a long way to improve the wellbeing of the residents of FCT.
The Mandate Secretary was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary of the Secretariat, Mr. Olusa Olusegun.
Garki advised the FCT-CADNIP to extend the Programme to the rural areas, where there is immense need for Sensitization on how to improve diet, promote behavioral change in Nutrition, Agriculture and livelihood.
He said that such action by JICA/CADNIP will strategically enhance service delivery by the FCT Administration to the people.
Presenting the items, the FCT JICA/CADNIP Focal Person for Area Councils Services Secretariat, Nneka Asmougha, revealedthat FCT-CADNIP Project’s main goal is to develop an effective food-based nutrition improvement approach in the rural areas as well as strengthening the multi-sectorial structure of the FCTA to adopt.
Asmougha said that the Programme, which started in March 2019, is targeted at the Federal Capital Territory rural areas and officers, who are expected to benefit from the Programme across some Agencies of the government including the AgriculturalDevelopment Programme (ADP), Primary Health Care Board (PHCB), and other multi-sectorial actors in FCT like the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), among others.
According to the Focal Person, those to also benefit are pregnant women, infants, under two years and mothers in the pilot areas as well as all those residents in those areas.
Abuja Digest reports that some of the items donated includes:tables, chairs, writing materials, files jackets to the Area Council Services Secretariat.