This financial boost is intended to accelerate grassroots development, particularly in the domains of agriculture, agro-allied industrialization, and essential infrastructure. The decision, made after a meeting of the Enugu State Economic Planning Commission, aims to invigorate rural economies and generate employment opportunities for the youth.

Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the State Government, conveyed this decision during a press briefing held at the Government House, Enugu. He noted that the Mbah administration's eagerness to cultivate a productive partnership with local governments by providing matching funds for selected projects aligned with the state government's economic agenda.

The key objective of this initiative is to stimulate economic activities in rural areas, particularly in agriculture and agro-allied industrialization. The plan also includes encouraging the establishment of agro-allied processing zones and a land bank spanning 300,000 hectares for commercial farming.

Under this partnership, local governments will identify projects within their communities, with a focus on areas previously vulnerable to criminal activities. They will enhance economic activities in these regions, creating employment opportunities for the youth.

The state government will contribute 60 percent of the required funding for these capital projects, while local governments will provide the remaining 40 percent. However, this financial support will only apply to mutually agreed-upon projects between the state and local governments.

The Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Enugu State, Hon. Sydney Okechukwu Edeh, lauded Governor Mbah's administration for the counterpart funding initiative. He expressed confidence that this partnership with the state government would facilitate the funding of vital projects that directly benefit communities. It will also promote transparency, accountability, and traceability in the management of local government funds.

Edeh emphasized that this initiative would not only enable the execution of numerous projects but also ensure their high quality, ultimately benefiting rural communities and their economies.