The forum was basically to raise awareness within the project scopes for greater implementation. It is expected that at the end of the convergence, the committees would be availed the opportunity to embark on a site visit to get first-hand information on what happens on the ground during the implementation process.
Dr. Amat Bah, executive director of the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA), who is also the project coordinator, explained that the project has three components; the development of coordination mechanisms for the social assistance sector; Nafa Program of Cash Transfer and Social and Behavioural Change Communication and capacity building component.
The project, he added, is being rolled out as anticipated and that 'if implemented as planned' it would be one of the most successful projects in this country.
“It will be very difficult to beat a project that NaNA and the Ministry of Health implement in the past. In that project, when it was first evaluated, it was considered satisfactory, but when it was subjected to pure review by the World Bank, they decided that it should be upgraded to highly satisfactory. In the country, no World Bank project has been rated so high and that is one of the reasons why we have this project.”
He told the members that 'if they do well with their projects, resources will flow in.
He informed that his agency and partners took the project very seriously in view of the fact that it has the potential to uplift its beneficiaries from poverty.
Dr. Bah reiterated that social protection is where donors are certain that whatever they give goes directly to the people who deserve it.
"That’s why when they were asked to coordinate the project; they took it very seriously. They also knew the potential of social protection as far as alleviating poverty is concerned and that in nutrition if you alleviate poverty, you solve the problem of malnutrition."
The project, he added, helps families by educating them about resilience and livelihood development means.
"What we are doing is to get those households out of poverty and help them to get good health and nutrition status.”
Dr. Bah spoke highly of their achievements, noting that the World Bank is now negotiating to close the project this year and link it with another project which would continue to benefit poor households.
Samba Bah, Governor of Upper River Region (URR), expressed delight to host the event in his Region.
Governor Bah informed that the presence of senior government officials alongside governors shows the level of commitment and cooperation towards making the project a successful one.
