By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Three north central States of Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa have counted the many benefits they derived following the implementation of three years and eight months project in health, education, and WASH in some communities in the States.

This is as the Christian Blind Mission, CBM which facilitated the project tagged: North Central Transitional Aid in Nigeria, NoCTRAiN appealed to the communities’ members and government of the three States to ensure their sustainability as they close out.

Speaking in Jos, Plateau State during the closing out ceremony, the Country Director of CBM, Bright Ekweremadu reminded the stakeholders of the direct positive impacts of the various projects implemented during the period hence the need for sustainability.

David Sabo, also of the CBM added, “The project impacted the lives of the people across the three thematic areas of health where we did a lot of surgeries and a lot of people were able to regain their sights or prevented from going blind because of this project.

“We had the mental health project that reached out to a lot of people and lots of women also benefited through the fistula and other sexual and reproductive health. We also constructed lots of water points, and boreholes, handed out equipment, and train people to maintain the water points.

“There is also the livelihood component that we supported farmers with farm inputs and other household incomes, quite several people have benefitted across the three States.”

Each component of the project like the water points had over 500,000 beneficiaries, eye health had over 4,000 benefitting from surgeries, fistula had over 500 women benefitting from the surgical repairs, 1000 health workers were trained, over 10,000 eyeglasses distributed, over 3000 persons enrolled into mental health and psychosocial support services, two eye clinics renovated and remodelled in two States and four hospitals in three States benefitted from diagnostic and surgical equipment among others.

Sabo maintained, “The project was implemented in collaboration with the various agencies and Ministries represented here we hope that as we pull out, the governments will continue to provide support to the people and also the communities take ownership of the projects because they were not implemented in isolation but with their supports.”

In the separate goodwill messages from stakeholders from Plateau, Benue, and Nasarawa States, they commended the CBM for their efforts and promised to sustain the project.

General Manager, Plateau Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, PRUWASSA, Engr. Peter Kasam, said, “… CBM has through its local partner (CeGHaD) implemented the NocTRAIN project in Plateau State which has positively affected the lives of the conflict-affected host communities and internally displaced persons in the north-central States of Nigeria with integration and inclusion through the provision of WASH facilities, inclusive health, and livelihood.

“In Plateau state, the intervention is in five LGAs of Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos, Mangu and Riyom. The above commitment translated to the construction and rehabilitation of Hand Pump Boreholes, Solar Power Boreholes in 29 locations, Blocks of VIP latrines in 24 locations, hand washing facilities in 27 locations, and waste bins in 15 locations in priority rural communities, public primary schools and health centres across the five LGAs, giving access to over 110,000 people with water and over 6,500 with sanitation and hand washing facilities.

“This is quite commendable and well appreciated. I wish to call on the LGA Chairmen, Staff, Stakeholders, and all benefiting communities to ensure ownership of these facilities so they can be sustained and scale up the programme for the benefit of your generations to come.”

His counterpart in Nasarawa State, Dr. Rowland Ayuba also made the same commitment.

Professor Joseph Ngbea of the Benue State Ministry of Health stated, “This project benefitted many people in Benue especially the IDPs so we need to sustain it. Benue has many security issues that cause health challenges, most of your efforts have come in handy in addressing the health needs of the State…”

Recall that the project was sponsored by the BMZ with a budget of 2.8 million Euros using local partners for its implementation. The project was to strengthen the resilience of conflict-affected communities and IDPs with attention toward disability inclusion in the three States.