The Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (OYCSDA) has announced that the ongoing 66 micro-projects across communities in Oyo State have created 20,000 jobs for members of the communities who have vocational skills in carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing, and electrical engineering, among other things.
According to a statement signed by the OYCSDA Project Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Alhazan Abiodun Rilwan, this was disclosed yesterday by the Chairman of the Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (OYCSDA), Hon. Abideen Adetokunbo Adeaga, at a one-day capacity-building workshop for the Chairmen of the thirty-three local government areas, the Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs), and Desk Officers attached to OYCSDA’s micro-projects, where communities are implementing projects from the agency’s financial intervention.
While appreciating the State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for releasing funds for the micro-projects, Adeaga clarified that the projects include the construction or renovation of community health centres, provision of bedding, furniture, and hospital equipment, construction or renovation of blocks of classrooms and toilets, teachers and students furniture and VIP toilets, drilling of boreholes, and construction of culverts and line drainages to fight erosion.
Adeaga said, “The sixty-six micro-projects that are currently ongoing in all the thirty-three local government areas of Oyo State, like those delivered before now, are a source of joy for the people of these communities. Now, their worries about a conducive learning environment for students and teachers, their fears of erosion, and their headaches about the lack of potable water and access to basic health care are gone. This is because the agency injected close to #18 million into each community for project intervention, which translated to wealth distribution and local institution empowerment.”
“It is worthy of note that apart from these basic areas of felt-need interventions, the ripple effect is that 20,000 jobs have been created for artisans in these communities. So, in this respect, we have to organise this capacity-building training for the thirty-three local government Chairmen, the HLGAs and the Desk Officers attached to OYCSDA’s micro-projects, for them to know more about their responsibilities in the implementation of these developmental projects”, he added.
In his remark, the Chairman, Lagelu Local Government, who spoke on behalf of other council Chairmen, said they were happy with the development in their respective local government areas where the projects were sited and promised to give their support to ensure the projects are delivered to time and standard is maintained.
The General Manager, of OYCSDA, Salau Jelili pointed out that one of the essential principles of the World Bank-assisted programmes through the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) is synergy and collaboration among stakeholders and institutions, to achieve set goals, adding that the objectives of the workshop include empowering local government administrators with knowledge, skills and techniques to take charge of the development of their people.
He also spoke on the topic “OYCSDA: Success Story” where he cataloged the achievements of the agency from the days of Local Empowerment and Environmental Management Project (LEEMP), CSDP till the present era of NG-CARES.
The second resource person was a former Operations Manager of OYCSDA, Alhaji Amidu Adepoju, spoke on “The Roles and Responsibilities of Local Government Review Committee and The Local Government Authority in The Implementation of NG-CARES Projects,”
Special guests at the occasion include the State’s Commissioner for Finance, who is the Chairman Steering Committee on NG-CARES/OYO-CARES, Mr. Akinola Ojo, who was represented by Mr. Giwa Babatunde, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, who was represented by the Director, Resident Registration and Research, Mr. Salisu Olaonipekun and Mrs Ajose Alirat who represented the Auditor-General of Oyo State, Mr. Olatunji Daramola.
