Oyo State government has trained 1200 stakeholders from local communities on how to monitor and maintain projects undertaken by the State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) for sustainability of such projects.
The stakeholders were charged to intensify more efforts towards maintaining functionality and sustainability of micro project in their communities.
Speaking at a day refresher training organized by CSDA for Community project management committee (CPMC) members, the General Manager, Oyo State CSDA Mr Babatunde Christopher hinted that the grass-root development anchored on projects that touch the core needs of the people was the major area of interest of the present administration as promises were made to provide good governances to the people.
Mr Babatunde explained during the training for Ibadan/Ibarapa, Oyo/Ogbomosho and Oke-Ogun zones that a number of 691 projects have been completed in 146 intervention communities in the areas of health, water provision, education, rural electrification, construction of bridges, socio economic empowerment while 35 ongoing projects would be concluded before the year 2020.
He stated that as the community and social development project was preparing to round up by the year 2020, the success of the micro project implementation in the communities depended largely on the CPMC, as they must acquire effective supervision and sustainability of projects.
“It is pertinent that the people directly affected by these projects are made to monitor and maintain them, this is the only way to keep the projects alive for the benefit of the rural dwellers.
“The funding expended on these projects were sought from the World Bank and not a grant, this means it has to be paid back, therefore, the projects must be maintained that they do not get spoilt or neglected due to poor use.
“The trainees were selected from all the benefitting communities across the State and the training covers the areas of financing regulation, participatory monitoring and evaluation for sustainability of these projects as I have said earlier.”
One of the trainees, Mr Folorunso Olagoke of Sooto community at Egbeda local government in Ibadan, appreciated the present administration on its efforts towards making life meaningful to all rural dwellers and the people of the State.
“The programme has done a lot to improve the standard of living of the people in the communities concerned, among which is my own community, we have boreholes and connection to the national grid through which we now enjoy electricity, we are grateful.”
The ongoing CSDA projects covered years 2009 to 2020 and projects that have impacted on community health, rural electrification, accessible water and others have been executed.
