Soji Ajibola,Ibadan
Oyo State Government has completed 788 projects in 158 communities in fulfilment of the campaign promises of the present administration.
Disclosing this during a media tour to some of the project sites in Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso and Oke Ogun areas on Monday, the Board Chairman of the Oyo state Community Development Agency, Dr.Idiwu Oyeleke, said the projects include rural electrification, water provision, health care services, education, environment and social economic empowerment.
Oyeleke stated that the World Bank assisted Community and Social Development Project empowered communities to develop, implement and monitor micro-social infrastructural projects in their community.
He noted that various rural communities had been relieved as the present administration under the leadership of Engr. Seyi Makinde continued to strengthen the partnership with the World Bank in reducing poverty in the State.
He stressed further that most women in the rural areas faced high risk of medical complications due to non-availability of health care services while most communities were exposed to various water-borne diseases as a result of lack of potable water.
The chairman disclosed that the intervention of the present administration in the state had achieved reduction in maternal death rate and water-borne diseases while many communities in darkness have been connected to the national grid.
He said, “The beauty of the Community and Social Development Project is that the benefitting communities prioritise their needs, observing all processes, get approval and execute projects through their preferred service provider, no imposition of project that sometimes may not be needed by the community.
“A total number of 788 community development micro projects have been completed in 155 communities out of which 752 projects are completed and in use, 51Group Development Projects (GDPs) are completed and in use while 13 are ongoing.”
He, however, charged benefitting communities and concerned groups to ensure they maintained and sustained all projects in their domains.
In their responses, the benefitting communities were full of appreciation to the present administration in the state under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde for bringing development to their door steps, promising to make the best use of the projects.