Nigeria

True partnership: Recipe for development
Pampaida Millennium Village experience

It was a spectacular display of appreciation and collective purpose when on 16 October 2007 the Deputy of Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency Mr Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa led Alberic Kacou, UNDP Resident Representative on a guided tour of a vivacious Pampaida Millennium Village (MV).

A cross-section of Pampaida pupils with bags containing UNDP donated educational materials. In the background is the UNDP donated Utility Vehicle/Ambulance

Kacou’s visit, his first to Pampaida MV came 18 months after the commencement of the project, following on exploratory and commissioning visits from other officials of the UN, The Earth Institute in Columbia University and other state governments. A visibly elated Kacou gave an overview of the Millennium Villages project, an exciting initiative which offers bold and innovative models for helping rural African communities lift themselves out of extreme poverty. From the UNDP experience, the Millennium Villages are proving that by fighting poverty at the village level through community-led development, rural Africa can achieve the Millennium Developments Goals (MDGs). In Pampaida, the story is a vibrant partnership between the Kaduna State Government, Ikara Local Government Area, Pampaida Community and UNDP.
According to Kacou, ‘for the past 18 months, we have worked successfully towards achieving the MDGs. The results on ground so far are truly remarkable; cases of malaria are down due to the use of bed nets; the school has a higher attendance rate due to the school feeding programme, the construction of additional classrooms and the supply of learning materials; the new health clinic is teeming with people because of the availability of medicine and more health workers; subsistence farming is quickly turning into commercial farming due to the availability of improved farming techniques, fertilizer and seeds. In other words, through the Millennium Villages project interventions, rural villagers’ lives have been drastically transformed for the better in a very short period of time.’
From the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, it was a moment of comic relief when ahead of his remarks he asked to rehearse with the MV Project Manager Tony Chowven the seemingly approved Pampaida greeting GRRRRRRRRRRR GBOSA!!! It rent the air with resounding applause.

‘This desk is not bad’, the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State Mr Patrick Yakowa and Alberic Kacou UNDP Resident Representative seem to be saying…at the newly commissioned classroom in Pampaida MV

This was an indication of what to expect in his remarks, visibly happy, Yakowa who was representing the Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency Alhaji Namadi Sambo recalled his experience 18 months ago at the commissioning of the project, remembering the bumpy ride to Pampaida. Today, it was a different story, as a smooth ride to Pampaida led him to see for himself the improvements to the village owing to contributions from the various partners. He said, ‘this is a true partnership and we thank UNDP for choosing Pampaida specifically and Kaduna State in general for this project. It was a challenge at the initial stage, but we are happy that we have not disappointed UNDP. All of this work is a demonstration of leadership commitment at all levels’.
The Ikara Local Government Area was represented by the Chairman Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Saulawa who in his address thanked UNDP for choosing his local government area for the MV. He was delighted by the revelation of UNDP Resident Representative that Pampaida MV is often cited by foreign visitors as being the best Millennium Village in West Africa.
The visit began with a courtesy call at the Kaduna State Government House, followed by a poster presentation at the MV Zaria Office where the delegation was given a graphic description of what was 18months ago, so as to set the basis for contrast between what is now, to be seen at the guided tour of Pampaida MV. During the tour, projects from Kaduna State and Ikara Local Government were commissioned they include 2 Health Center, 2 Classroom Blocks, 10km Access Road and Electrification projects. The Pampaida Community contributed with direct labour for building grain storage facility and kitchen as well as donating 10% of their farm produce for school feeding programme.
The visit ended with a presentation by the UNDP Resident Representative on behalf of UNDP a number of items which included one Utility Vehicle/Ambulance, 22 Water pumps for dry season farming, educational materials for primary 1-6 pupils and Drugs for the community health centre.
The Deputy Governor pledged replication of the MV model in other sites in Kaduna State and mentioned that he looks forward to UNDP assistance in identifying other villages for intervention.