….as govt unveils 24-action plan for grassroots development
Dr Lawal Olohungbebe, the Senior Special Assistant to Kwara State Governor on Community Development, on Tuesday, said the state government is focusing on human capital development to propel sustainable development which is inline with the global goals.
Olohungbebe, while hosting the Association of Kwara Online Media Practitioners (ASKOMP) in Ilorin, the state capital, said community engagement has gone beyond distributing items and handouts in this era, adding that his office has trained community development officers in the three Senatorial districts on the vision of Governor Abdulrazaq, the latest trends and strategic partnerships for rural development.
He said, “We are focusing on human capital development to propel sustainable development in line with global goals-SDG.”
The Community Development Expert, doubled as the Coordinator of Community Engagement in the Office of Kwara State Governor also unveiled the government’s 24-Action Plan for grassroots development in the state, which is geared towards bringing dividends of democracy to rural areas across the 16 local government areas in Kwara State.
He reiterated that his office is planning to flag off some ideas this week, adding that part of the programmes was to equip some youths in the communities on how to take care of the community projects by making sure that they are frequently maintained and sustained.
“We have come up with some plans, and those plans have been approved by the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. Also, funds have been approved to that effect.
“We have realised that people in different communities do rely on the government for everything, as little as repairing street lights. So, we are coming up with plans to get some youths and equip them both with training and funds. The youths will monitor the community projects and make sure that they are frequently maintained and sustained.
“We are also working on getting clearance for NGOs. NGOs will henceforth have to get clearance before they can operate in the state. We are creating a policy for those who want to practice community development. The policy will guide them on how to operate. It will create an enabling environment for the NGOs. We are looking at getting logistic support for NGOs to make their work easier.
We also have a plan tagged “Every ward matters”. We are targeting the 193 wards. We will engage every community on what they need and find a way to help them.
“We also have plans for the physically challenged persons, youths and other members of the communities in the state.
“To achieve all these plans, we are partnering with different agencies and government institutions,” the SSA on Community Development stated.
Fielding answers to questions, the Governor’s aide said AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration has distributed solar-powered streetlights in some communities to address insecurity issues and energise businesses at night.
He said, “Some of the communities that benefitted include Ajibeshin, Saadu Alanamu, Broadway, Mogaji Aare, Ita Elefun, Isale Ajara, Oko Erin, among others.”
Reacting to the speculation surrounding the food palliative distribution, Olohungbebe opined that the Committee received 20,000 bags of 10kg rice from the state government with the mandate to reach out to vulnerable and urban poor in the state.
He said, “His Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq specifically gave us instructions on target beneficiaries for the food palliative. It’s meant for vulnerable persons to cushion the effects of economic hardship. We therefore worked with Community-based organisations, CSOs and other stakeholders in the community to identify people in the category and distribute accordingly.”