Chairman CRS Community & Social Development Agency unveils the Agency’s New vision / direction.

Following the Governor’s approval of the constitution of the new board of the CRS Community & Social Development Agency after the dissolution of the former board on May 29th 2019,
Sir Toni Ikpeme alongside 16 others were inaugurated as Board Chairman and members of the Agency by Dr. (Mrs) . Inyang Asibong - the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of International Development Corporation who represented His Excellency Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade on Friday May 22nd 2020 at the Agency's board room.

The Commissioner while inaugurating the board expressed her confidence in the caliber of personalities and institutions that make up the composition of the agency's board which is led by a seasoned banker, Sir Toni Ikpeme as the chairman.
According to her, she has no doubt that, the Chairman and members of the board will not bring their expertise to bear in delivering their mandate.

In his remark, the chairman of the Agency, commended the Governor of the state Prof. Ben Ayade for his well articulated vision of ensuring continuous inclusion of rural communities and by extension rural developments in all government developmental projects with a view to improving their living standards and Sustainability of the projects.
Sir Ikpeme said this sustainability, to a large extent informed His Excellency's constitution / inauguration of the board to cater for the poor and vulnerable which is part of his policy trust.

Sir Ikpeme while noting that, though the World Bank has over the years been the sole
development partner of the agency also stated that the law with which the board derives her powers, empowers the agency to explore funding from other private and public sector institutions as well as provide direction and guidance vis a vis the interpretation of government sectoral policies as the case may arise.
Accordingly, he unveiled the board’s new mission to include sourcing of funds from other development partners-private and public institutions including local content and time tested corporate multinational bodies, local government councils and high net worth individuals inline with the model already enshrined by the world bank which has developed the needed capacity in the agency.
According to him, the idea is to ensure that, a multi-faceted solution post Coronavirus stimulus model is put in place as part of His Excellency's novel vision and response to tackling the Coronavirus pandemic, rather than limit the agency's reach to one funding basket.
The Chairman confirmed that he will be closing discussions with some multinational corporates that have indicated interest in this regards including bringing in the likes of Mtn and Lafarge of this world whose impact needs to be felt in all the 18 Local Government areas of the State in a bid to improving the living standard of the rural communities.
The composition of the newly inaugurated Board includes the Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of
Finance ,
Women Affairs, International Development Corporation,
Social Welfare,
Humanity,
Works,
State Planning Commission and Local Government Affairs,
four representatives from Civil Society Organisations and four non statutory appointees of His Excellency.
The Chairman reiterated the agency's resolve in sustaining the demand driven projects approach where projects are conceived and adopted by the community based on their needs assessment scale of reference.
Areas of the agency's intervention is basically in the areas of social and natural infrastructure which covers, Education, Environment, Transport, Rural Electrification, Socio Economic, Water and Health, all of which are very basic necessities required in developing, empowering, sustaining and improving our rural communities, the poorest of the poor and the vulnerable persons within our society.