Ekiti Set To Lift Communities With N300m

The stage is set for the disbursement of more than N300 million by the Ekiti State government to some communities in its domain for the
provision of social amenities and the promotion of empowerment initiatives.

A-day workshop was at the weekend organized for critical stakeholders to sharpen their skills on how best to apply the funds.
The workshop tagged: “One-day workshop on Project Management for stakeholders to facilitate ownership of Ekiti rural development and community empowerment initiative” was opened by Governor Kayode Fayemi, who was represented by his deputy, Prof Modupe Adelabu.

At workshop were those considered as critical to the successful implementations of the projects in the benefiting towns and
communities. They include: caretaker committees’ chairmen of all 16 local government areas in the state; royal fathers; chairmen and secretaries of Community Development Associations (CDAs) and Community Development Committees (CDCs).

While declaring the workshop open at the Pope John Paul Pastoral Centre, Ado-Ekiti, the governor noted that the workshop became necessary to expose the participants to the concept of community development, project management, as well acquaint them with their responsibilities towards community project and ownership of self-help projects.
According to him, the workshop was the second of its kind since the administration came on board, noting that talk shop was necessary before the disbursement of the fund to ensure its judicious use and proper monitoring of projects.

He informed his administration has grant N600 million to 177 communities in the first and second phase of the programme since his administration took the saddle on October 16, 2010.
Assuring that the gesture would be extended to other communities this year, the governor explained that the gesture was part of measures to
rapidly develop the hinterlands and discourage rural-urban drift.
Describing the various letters of appreciation, commendation and congratulatory messages to government from benefitting communities as evidence of the success and acceptability of the initiative, Fayemi expressed confidence that the second phase of the programme will equally achieve tremendous success.
In his remarks, Commissioner for Rural Development and Community Empowerment Chief Folorunso Olabode restated commitment of the Fayemi-led administration to the transformation of the rural communities which he said accounted for more than 75 per cent of Ekiti population.

He also spoke of the administration’s plan to build the leadership potentials and capacity for participatory governance at the
grassroots.
The commissioner said the governor deserved commendation for the provision of funds to all the communities that had earlier benefited
from the grant-in-aids despite the state’s lean resources.
He noted that the projects implemented with the funds have improved the socio-economic lives of the peoples through the construction of market stalls, effective control of live-threatening erosion and the provision of portable water, thereby reducing the incidence of
water-borne diseases among others.

Last modified: January 6, 2014