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Beneficiaries of European Union (EU) and World Bank-assisted projects, under the supervision of Delta State Employment and Expenditure For Results (SEEFOR) at different locations in the state have commended the interventions in their communities.
The impact assessment, led by National Project Coordinating Unit (NPCU) Communication Officer, Thomas Ochepa, disclosed this during projects inspection tour in Aniocha North, Ika South, Ika North East and Oshimili South council areas, comprising market stalls, cassava processing facilities, equipment in technical college, health centres and roads.
Also, Communication Officer of the state projects coordinating unit, Stephen Ekuerhare, told The Guardian that the essence of the tour of selected projects was to get the views of direct beneficiaries in the state.
At Anikpekwu Igbodo Market where garri shades were built, assisted by EU, World Bank, SEEFOR and Community Driven Development Social Implementation Unit (CDDSIU), the woman leader, Mrs. Mabel Ogboh, said, “The construction of the shade came as a huge relief to our women as we no longer well under the sun, and loss of goods when it rains.
“But now, we are making more money, as we have a place to leave our unsold garri, without fear of losing them.
“It has also helped in attracting more people from far and near to the market, which has resulted in increased sales for us. So is the cassava mill that has saved us from traveling long distances to process our garri.
“Especially, the water they provided, which has stopped us from spending almost a whole day at the river to wash our cassava before traveling to where we process them.
The benefits are numerous, but we only plead that they add the equipment, so we can have a one-stop mill,” she said.
Responding, Principal of Agbor Technical College, Benjamin Osibor, said the interventions in different departments of the college have helped to increase the population of students in the institution from 300 to over 1,000, even as all the departments leading to its accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
He said, “The impact of SEFOR on school is enormous. Before they came on board with their intervention, this school was in a sorry state, but since the intervention, it has been a reawakening in the different departments.
“What used to be a sorry situation has taken a new life, especially in the workshops in acquisition of skills as students now have more.
“Our Civil Engineering Department is now into block molding. Our motor mechanic workshop now has needed equipment for the students to practice with.”
Also speaking, Head, Department of Catering, Mrs. Osagbobu Augustina, was particularly grateful to SEEFOR’s assistance, saying, “Before the intervention with needed catering equipment, we were making do with stoves. We lacked virtually everything we needed to keep the department working, which saw the decline in the number of students’ intake.”
At Umunede, where a 15-bed capacity health centre was rehabilitated and provided with medical equipment, the Community Chairnan, Chief Benson Iyama, who is also the Elema of Umunede Kingdom, said, “The N6.7 million project is a huge relief, as members of the community now has free medical facility to access.