Seventh CBO-Workshop Explains Community Committees

for Project Implementation and Project Management

MPP9 Etung Pilot Programme held the information exchange and reflection workshop for community development unions and stake holders

The report on the seventh information exchange workshop received feedback allowing for corrections and improvements. The previous report is replaced by this improved version. A main change is, that the meeting announced for the 12^th of October 2011 for representatives of the entire Etung population will take place at a later date to allow Etung LG executives to honor an assignment with government institutions in Abuja also scheduled for 12^th of October.

The MPP9 Etung Pilot Programme organized the “Seventh Information Exchange and Reflection Workshop” for representatives of 27 Community Development Unions on 27^th of September 2011. The seventh workshop is part of a series of information exchange activities with communities, Etung Local Government and Civil Society Organisations. The workshop focused on activities of three Civil Society Organisations contracted by Community Development Foundation (CDF) for activities in 25 communities of Etung Local Government Area. The CDF representative for Etung Pilot Programme, Essang Demben, confirmed that CDF is preparing for more CSOs to be involved in each community where MPP9 pilot programme projects are implemented. The executive chairman of Etung Local Government, Hon. Godwin Etim John informed on the visit of Etung Local Government and representatives of Etung people to Abuja to meet European Union Delegation and National Planning Commission. Referring to the success of Etung Local Government with the implementation of 35 MPP9 projects from the counterpart fund he stressed that the European Union Delegation and the National Planning Commission were impressed of the contribution of Etung Local Government to MPP9.

The EDF representatives had confirmed that they will make works tender for EDF funded projects a success. With an accelerated procedure also promoted by the visitors from Etung the institutions in Abuja assured that the award of works contracts has been scheduled for April 2012. The chairman also indicated that the details on the Abuja meetings will be communicated in a meeting proposed for 12^th October with representatives of the entire Etung population. (This date has been changed after the information exchange workshop to a later date as LG executives have a meeting with other government institutions on that day.)

New staff members of LMU were introduced

The representatives of the community development unions introduced their organisations, this time adding the three invited CSOs. The managing director of Golden Package Foundation in his welcome address appreciated that the seventh workshop was again a joint organisation with LMU and welcomed in addition to the development unions, the CSOs, the executive members of Etung Local Government and members of the Etung Local Government MPP9 support office. The LMU team leader referred to the relevance and importance of this meeting for further progress of the MPP9 Pilot Programme. He introduced two new staff members of the LMU team, Mrs. Lawrentia Ofre, a tropical agriculturalist and Mrs. Comfort Odor, a gender expert. Both will also be involved in the training programmes for which LMU has received the confirmation of the operational budget (Programme Estimate 2, PE2.)

The CSOs reporting at this workshop contributed with their knowledge and experience to the progress of MPP9, the communities continue the work initiated by them and the further cooperation with the community development unions was agreed in meetings held with CDF Etung representative, LMU and the three CSOs assigned for contracts for doing work in Etung communities. When more CSOs are contracted by CDF to accomplish further CDAPs and formation of MPP9 and general community committees, a further milestone for achievements of MPP9 in Etung will be reached.

Clarification needs for PIC and PMC

One of the relevant issues of CSO activities is the formation of Project committees in the community. In the previous information exchange workshops Project Implementation Committees had a priority. The registered CBOs in Etung LGA had agreed to fulfil the function of PICs on a temporary base until the CSO engagement starts . The engagement of CSOs was realized after a meeting in Calabar in January 2011. The CDF guided meeting brought a “Project Management Committee” in the discussion, CSOs referring to previous experience in Micro Project Programmes in Nigeria. LMU, having promoted PICs, worked on explanations clarifying this important issue. LMU found specific tasks and different priorities for implementation and for management committees having important roles at different operation periods. Similarities and differences were put together in a document. The participants of the workshop received the printout of the slide presentation for this purpose.

Reports on CSO activities in Etung Communcities

Chief Edwing Ogar took the word for Ekuri Initiative, Obi Thomas Edum explained activities of the Organisation for Rural and Community Development (RUCODEV) and Ebruke Onajite Esike reported on activities of Global Peace Development. Ekuri Initiative had ten communities in Etung south, Rucodev ten communities in Etung Central and Global Peace worked in Etung North. The names of the communities are:

• Etung South: Akpor, Okimaya, Obutong 1, Obutong 2, Nkunaya, Imabana, Chongokobak, Atimifam, Ekuri Eyeyeng and Abijang.
• Etung Central: Bikpare, Mfum, Ajassor, Ajassor Mission, Ajassor Njim Atang, Atim Ntek Nta, Ekimaya Ola, Effraya, Ejeghe Okpi and Last motor.
• Etung North: Okundi, Nyarinka, Mpantor, Mgbaghe and Orap Nyo.

The three organisations described different approaches of making contact to Etung communities. Each organisation had cared for a needs assessment in communities for which mainly pair wise methods were used for ranking. The facilitation of the preparation of a five year Community Development Action Plan was a major activity of all three CSOs. The CSOs had considered as a guiding element for the organisation of their work, that MPP9 involvement of CSOs had started with delays; the identification of MPP9 projects was done before CSO involvement could be organized and followed decisions of MPP9 steering committee for a change in the project selection process. CDAPs were allowed to be prepared after MPP9 project identification from community self assessment procedures documented in IMPACT forms. (IMPACT=Information calling for Micro Project initiatives from Active Communities of underserved Territories.)

In spite of this, the formation of PICs had been given high rank for the CSO work in Etung communities.  A transparent and accepted election process was organized. The tasks of PICs were however discussed during the CSO action on general levels. There is need for specification according to project type and community capacities. PICs will also be linked to the specific project chosen by the community.

Question and answers

Cooperation of CSOs with Community Development Unions was a major concern in the “Question and answers” session. Apprehensions were raised by several community development unions, that activities organised by the Community Development Unions and by the Civil Society Organisations cover the same domains but under different social and material conditions. This may lead to conflicts which need to be prevented.

“What relevance does the work of development unions have in the cooperation with LMU?” was another point raised. The progress of the Etung Pilot Programme is slower than announced, and expectations were not met, especially where preparations for projects had reached advanced stages. Several sites for projects had for example been selected and cleared and are now overgrown again.

The Local Government Adviser for MPP9, Hon. Kingsley Ntui, answered, that the relevance of single actions is not in the forefront. The scope of the entire pilot programme needs to be seen. Because of the Pilot Programme attention is given to developments in Etung. Other Local Governments in Cross River State and in other States of the Niger Delta follow up to what is happening in Etung and how Etung Local Government is managing its inputs to MPP9. Also the Governor of Cross River State gives Etung relevance. The central market for example is received as a development initiative into which the CRS government sees chances for State Government initiated investments. The CRS Governor has shown interest for paying  Etung Central Market a visit together with other Cross River State institutions. Therefore, it is realized that the interaction of the Local Government, LMU, State Government, and the cooperation with Etung communities with the pilot programme has an overall inspiring effect, and which influences the development and the community work in Etung. Truly the delay of EDF funded projects caused disappointment, but the projects will come as has been confirmed at the meetings in Abuja; the success of Etung developments remains based on interaction and learning which is documented in the reports on the series of workshops of this type and of other meetings organised with the communities.

MPP9 - Etung Pilot Programme Tasks and Challenges

The LMU team leader Dr. Peter Ay referred to the sixth information exchange workshop when rumours on a possible cancellation had been communicated. At the seventh workshop the cancellation is reported as a fact. However, the concern of the Etung Local Government and the example given by implementing 35 MPP9 projects, has made European Union and National Planning Commission to confirm that an accelerated tender procedure was proposed in order to lead to contract award for the 56 MPP9 projects in April next year, representing 60 percent of MPP9 works contracts value.

Etung Local Government had requested for the meeting with the European Union Delegation and with NPC in Abuja to obtain first hand information on delays of the EDF funded part of MPP9 Etung Pilot Programme. This was meant to enable straight information transfer to Etung people and for a review of actions to consider in the following months. Representatives of Etung people (traditional rulers, women groups, youth representatives) and local government executives succeeded to obtain an efficient information exchange on the 6^th of September 2011 and will report in detail in a meeting scheduled during October 2011 in Effraya Local Government Council Hall. The initially proposed date had was 12^th of October, which coincided with another meeting and had to be postponed. Representatives of the entire Etung people will be invited to the Community Hall in Effraya.

On current activities of the Pilot Project, the team leader Peter Ay indicated that the operational budget for LMU has been approved. However, another challenge comes from formalities for getting access to PE2 approved funds. A bank guarantee was needed for processing the payment of an advance into the LMU operation account. This has been obtained and was submitted for further processing to EDF institutions in Abuja. However, LMU utilises the waiting time to finalise tender dossiers for training programmes and for other activities foreseen in the following months.

Coming Events for the Etung Pilot Programme

The conference on “Cocoa and potentials for poverty reduction in Etung Local Government Area” was initially scheduled for September which has passed. It will be organized with more resource persons at a later date, probably in November 2011. The cooperation with development unions will extend to the preparation of trainings. Recalling the visits to every development union for discussion of training needs, LMU considered the requests and suggestions in the Budget.

The community development unions, local government and CSOs will be provided with information on the specific training programmes and will have the opportunity to propose members of their communities and institutions for training participation. The intention is to give training to participants who are able to communicate their training results to community and institution members in order to share the knowledge gained.

The next information exchange workshop will be organized in November, the time and programme will be announced again in cooperation with Golden Package Foundation.