Some residents of Igbeti, Ajaawa and Oyo town have commended the Oyo State Community Social Development Agency (CSDA) and World Bank for ‘’life-changing projects’’ executed in the communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CSDA, an agency of Oyo State government, in collaboration with the World Bank has executed 687 projects across the state since 2016.
Some of the residents, who spoke during the impact assessment and evaluation tour of some of the projects sited in Olorunsogo, Ogo-Oluwa and Oyo East local government councils respectively, on Monday, said the projects were people-oriented ones.
In Igbeti, a group of physically challenged and widows expressed happiness over the purchase of four tricycles and provision of a motorised borehole for the community.
A physically challenged middle-aged man, Taiwo Abolade, who expressed joy over the projects, said members of the group had to trek for miles to get water before the borehole was dug.
“As a group of physically challenged and widows, we wrote the CSDA and followed all the process, and when our requests were granted, they provided the funds while we executed the projects.
“They asked us to show evidence of our five per cent contribution either in cash or kind, after that, we awarded the project to our preferred service providers and also bought the tricycle.
“We used the knowledge of the training given to us at the CSDA seminar in choosing service providers and in managing and supervision of the projects.
In another community also in Igbeti, Olorunsogo council area, residents applauded the construction of a health centre facility, saying it has helped in saving lives and reduced child mortality.
Chairman of the Community Project Management Committee (CPMC), Mr Muibdeen Ibrahim, revealed that N5million was spent on the project.
”The health centre has been of tremendous assistance to the community and to the whole of Igbeti, this area is just developing and most people don’t have cars or motorbikes.
“So it was always difficult when our wives are in labour or our children require emergency.
“Now, we have a health centre facility that caters for our health need to a very large extent and we are indeed grateful to Oyo State government and the World Bank over this very unique gesture,” he said.
Another resident, Mr Wasiu Arikeusola, disclosed that the community unanimously agreed to request for the construction of the health centre as the need was really dire.
“When we had our meetings to determine what would be provided, there was no disagreement at all, we all agreed to request for health centre.
“We now have it and it is serving more than the purpose of provision of health facilities as it has also helped our economic activities and also promote unity among us,” he said.
Similarly, residents of Ajaawa in Ogo-Oluwa council area also expressed joy over the construction of an examination hall at Baptist Grammar School, Ajaawa.
The Community Project Management Committee, (CPMC), secretary, Mr Wole Adunola, noted with pleasure that the hall the community collectively agreed to be built has been serving its purpose.
He disclosed that the construction of the examination hall has brought about other development to the school and the community, adding that, it has also increased the school’s rating.
A member of the community, Mrs Eniola Adewusi, said the main purpose of the hall has been achieved.
“Before this project, our children wrote examinations under very rough conditions and you could not really blame them if they did not perform as expected.
“Now, through CSDA and World bank, we have a standard hall and parents and students are happy and full of joy,’’ she said.
Also, residents of Ashipa Kobuko, in Oyo East Council area, also expressed gratitude over the construction of a standard drainage system.
Some of the residents, who expressed happiness, said flooding was the major challenge of the area before the construction of the drainage.
Speaking on the projects, the General Manager of CSDA, Mr Babtunde Adewole, said that the projects were executed through community-driven development strategy.
“The target was to increase the access of the poor and the core people of the state to social infrastructure services and natural resources.
“CSDA, an agency of Oyo State government under the governor’s office, working with the office of the Vice President and the World Bank, has completed about 687 projects in 20 council areas of the state since it started 2016.
“While implementing World bank-financed micro-projects at the grassroots level, we have completed projects in areas of health, water provision, rural roads, environmental, rural electrification and socio-economic empowerment.
“After observing all the process, benefiting communities get approval and then they execute projects through their preferred service providers.
“What we are doing now is to go round to access the impact of these projects and to also establish if there are challenges,” he noted.
The general manager, thereafter, appealed to communities to ensure proper maintenance of projects in their respective communities.
