KWARA’S GIANT STRIDE ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Community development is empowering community by government, with the application of Community Driven Development (CDD), to acquire infrastructural facilities by benefiting communities, for the well being of the people, at the grass roots. This in turn makes rural dwellers appreciate the current administration in the state, because it has embarked upon Community and Social Development Projects (CSDP), in Kwara State. Kudos to our amiable, dynamic and people’s Governor, His Excellency: DR ABDULFATAH AHMED, for his initiative on rural development through CSDP in the state, as not less than One hundred and twelve {112} rural communities are currently benefiting from the World Bank assisted projects in the sectors of; water, education, health, electricity, erosion control, environment and natural resources and transport while double that number are still on waiting list in the office of the Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency {KWCSDA}. This is quite impressive and Megida’s efforts are highly commendable as far as community development is concerned in the state. CSDP as aimed by the initiators, has no doubt reduced poverty at the grass roots, by increasing greatly the access of the poor to improved social infrastructure and natural resource services, through co financing of investments in non-excludable, socio-economic and natural resource goods. As expected, this gesture from government of the people has impacted positively on benefiting communities, who are currently enjoying various degrees of developments, with the same facilities hitherto limited to the metropolis, now at the beck and call of the people, in rural areas. The project has also encouraged people’s participation in governance as their community development projects are being personally handled by them. This has equally enhanced a good maintenance culture among the communities who sees the government initiative projects as their own and would guide against natural disasters, as well as vandalism in whatever form, to ensure a longer span of the projects. From our findings, about 99.5% of the households in all the communities where government intervention has taken place as regards CSDP, confirmed being aware of CSDP and the existence of the community micro-projects, in their domain. This is so because the communities were involved right from planning to the completion of the projects, while 99% of the beneficiaries expressed their satisfaction with the way the projects were implemented. There is no gain saying that Dr AHMED’s tenure is a blessing to the people, especially at the grass roots, because the people confirmed that many of their communities have never felt the impact of any government as much as this, since the inception of Kwara State. True to the rural dwellers’ confessions to the impact of this administration, 112 communities have been able to complete 318 community micro-projects to date, education sector being the highest with 145 projects, mostly from building of class rooms to equipping the facilities, in 63 rural communities. This is followed by water project with 92 numbers completed in 56 communities of the state. Health sector is next, where government has been able to build or renovate and equip 36 rural health facilities in 23 communities across the sixteen Local Government Areas of the state. Further to these, 10 communities are already enjoying transportation facilities numbering 19 micro-projects, as a result of which their economic activities have greatly improved. Another essential of life at the beck and call of our rural dwellers, through the good will of GOVERNOR AHMED-led administration is the provision of rural electrification numbering 14 micro-projects, in 14 rural communities, all of them functioning appropriately, followed by environment and natural resources projects. This includes construction of public toilets and drainages to control erosion in order to avoid natural disaster. There are 8 of this in 5 communities and. Lastly in socio-economic sector (market stalls) the government has been able to reach out to 4 rural communities including Agbamu, in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state who’s market project can be described as the best structure in the entire state, many thanks to the present dispensation in Kwara State that has extended this magnanimity to the localities across the state. I must be quick to adhere that, all the projects are completed, functioning and impacting positively on the lives of the citizenry. For instance the outcome of the intervention in education sector by government through CSDP has led to an increase in the number of school age children enrolment in schools at the grass roots to 8,686. Timely arrival of students/pupils to school for learning is achieved within 14 minutes, from their various homes to school. School attendance has increased to 8,460, students learning sciences have swelled to 1,966 while 651 students at least register their attendance in the schools’ libraries. A new dimension to education by the state government is the installation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) centres in our colleges, which has improved the computer literacy of our students. Unlike before in some rural communities where people competes with cows to get stream water to drink and for other domestic chores, a total number of 3,093 people now have access to portable water in our rural settings. The distance has drastically reduced to 750 from 1,500 metres. Also, there is a drastic reduction in water born diseases, while the personal hygiene of the rural dwellers has equally increased tremendously. With government intervention in the health sector, rural people are now encouraged to utilise the facilities on ground, regarding ante and post-natal clinic, as well as other health challenges and counseling, all totalling 1,785. Children immunization also made easy because it is readily available. As a matter of fact, children immunised are as much as 1,467 till date. Above all, the distance to the health facilities and time factor is very reasonable and stress free just, 12 minutes by the dot of clock. The availability of health facilities in the rural areas has enabled government to deploy 75 staff to the rural health centres. This in a way has generated employment for some people in the state. On transport sector, an average of 155 vehicles per week, now ply the rural roads in communities where the state government has intervened, in road projects. There is a reduction in the time spent in travelling from one location to another on the newly rehabilitated or constructed roads, which is achieved within an hour. Transport fare is also reduced and the economic activities of the benefiting communities have improved, unlike what was obtainable initially. We all know how significant power supply is to human existence all over the world. Today in our rural areas of the state, not less than 7,084 households are now well connected to rural electrification as a result of government intervention in this sector, unlike in the past. Furthermore, small scale businesses established so far in the benefiting communities have increased to 176 while the households using electric gadgets have also increased to 3,380. Recreation centres in the areas too are on the increase to 31. Coming to socio economic sector, government has been able to construct a total of 99,200 market stalls with an estimated population of people totaling 1,750 utilizing the stalls, as a result of which their economic activities have improved. While in the environment and natural resources sector Ventilation Improved Public (VIP) toilets and erosion control projects), a total number of 700 people are currently putting the projects to use, which has enhanced these communities’ clean environments and improved their personal hygiene. In the light of the above, our commendation to the Kwara State Government under the able leadership of the Governor of the people, DR ABDULFATAH AHMED the Executive Governor of Kwara State, cannot be over emphasized for the implementation of all these rural communities and social development projects. Our communities and indeed Kwara State at large will forever be grateful to you sir, for your kind gesture towards rural developments in the state. I wish to humbly add here that myriads of other applications from communities are waiting for government intervention, concerning communities’ projects, so as to get their own share of the dividends of democracy. With these outstanding achievements in Kwara State Community and Social Development Projects (KWSDP), one cannot afford not to give a deserving kudos to the current dispensation in the state government. There are 26 States-Abuja inclusive, that are taking part in CSDP throughout the federation, but Kwara has been adjudged to be one of the best in terms of project implementation, prudency, efficiency and accountability, courtesy of His Excellency, Dr Abdulfatah Funso AHMED’s initiatives, support and encouragement as far as the project is concerned in the state. More grease to your elbow sir. As I earlier mentioned above, there are many more applications on ground from communities, they have equally expressed their interests for government assistance through the Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency (KWCSDA) and others have approached the Agency on how to apply in order to commence their proposed community micro-projects. They have been sensitized with assurance that community development is in the best interest of this administration, and so those who are yet to benefit from government intervention as regards (SDP should put their minds at rest as government will reach them soon, for the betterment of their lives and communities. GOVERNOR AHMED being a manager of man, material and capital, has the wherewithal to ensure community development across the state. Our own Megida will finish what he started by spreading community development to the nooks and crannies of Kwara State, Insha-Allahu. Some of the rural communities where the current administration has intervened through CSDP among others are: Bada-Ajegunle, Oponda-Isin, Okegbala, Amu, Eruku, Igbo-Aran, Iponrin, Egosi lie, Gwassoro, Share, Gbaduwa, Atari, Okefoma, Kakafu, Gweria, Ira, in Ilorin South, Isin , Irepodun, Moro, Ekiti, Asa, Ilorin East, Oke-Ero, Baruten, Ifelodun, Edu, Offal Ilorin-West, Patigi, Kaiama and Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State respectively.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 11:27:47 +0000
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