The Federal Government and African Development Bank (AfDB)-sponsored programme in which Ayamelum, Orumba North, Orumba South and Ogbaru council areas were beneficiaries, commenced in February 2016. But the outbreak of COVID-19 in February 2020, which led to lockdown of the entire country, had delayed the progress of work in the infrastructure development, commodity value chain development and programme management components of the programme. Zonal Programme Coordinator of ATASP-1, Romanus Egba, disclosed that there has been delay in the implementation of the economic infrastructure, which constitutes about 70 per cent of the projects’ cost. Egba further explained that the ATASP-1 would plan a meeting to sensitise community leaders on the need to drive the process. He mentioned some of the benefits of the projects to include feeder roads, canal lining, land development, pump station at Omor, community health centre, primary schools and produce markets.

Source: The Guardian July 24, 2020 03:40 UTC