Electricity returns to Orita community, a densely populated area in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State after thirty years of darkness due to faulty electricity transformer.
The residents had made several efforts to ensure that they were re-connected to the national grid after their source of electricity, (transformer) developed fault in 1989.
The residents told InsideOyo.com that the absence of power in the area had since then crippled their business activities.
It was however, excitement galore for the residents on Wednesday when the World Bank and the Oyo state government through its agency, the Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) handed over another 500kva transformer for the community after 30-year of darkness.
The project according to the chairman of the the Community Project Management Committee (CPMC), Hon. Olusiji Oyinlola gulped over N8 million.
He maintained that the community contributed 10 percent of the total cost before the Oyo state government and the world bank supported the community financially.
Projects embarked upon by the committee in the area according to Oyinlola included; Drilling of a unit motorized borehole, renovation and equipment of school dinning-hall, installation of 500kva transformer and electricity extension, and construction of a block of six units VIP toilet.
He appreciated the support of the world bank and the state government for ensuring that they are taking development to the rural areas in the country.
Oyinlola who share the experience of the residents before the intervention of the CSDA in the community said, “On the issue of power, it was another problem before now. Many of the residents, especially the artisans usually move out of the community because of the poor power supply.
“Also, our physically challenged children are now enjoying VIP toilets in their school. We thank the state government and the world bank for their support.
“Water was a serious problem for our people before now. Our people travel for more than two kilometers before they could get drinking water, but now that we have our community water, we can fetch water at will.
“The projects also create employment opportunities for our people because we have somebody managing the water. The community also employed another person monitoring the transformer and the toilet. They have been managing it effectively”.
Chairman of the landlord association in the community, Mr. Adewole Emmanuel said the issue of power supply in the area was a serious problem before the intervention, adding that solving water challenges which seems impossible before is now possible.
Secretary of the committee, Abiodun Olaosegbe said life was miserable for the residents of the community before the intervention, “but today the story has change because our people need not to travel far before they could get drinkable water”.
Acting Principal of the school for the deaf and blind Eruwa, where the toilet was built, Mrs Adebisi Deborah Folasade said before the intervention, there was no chairs for the pupils to study while the pupils only defecate in the bush.
“We thank the world bank and the Oyo state government for these great projects”.
