By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The people of Lade District in Edu local government area of Kwara state have started to reap the benefits of lithium, a mineral resource recently discovered in the area.
The President, Lade District Development Association (LADDA), Deacon Dele Ake, who assured the people of judicious use of the lithium proceeds and other dues the association manages on behalf of the district, said the benefits come in the form of self-help projects that the people of the district have been able to execute from dues they receive from dealers who operate with the lithium, adding that the association expended the dues on rehabilitation of roads and hospitals, as well as on the installation of solar powered street lights in the district .
The mineral resource which is said to serve as raw materials for such products as glasses, tiles and others was reportedly discovered in the area few months ago.
It would be recalled that the association had launched the distribution of the lights to communities in the district at the Lade town.
Speaking at the occasion, the Ndalilelade, Alhaji Abubakar Haruna, lauded the association for embarking on numerous projects for the benefits of the people of the district from the proceeds derived from the lithium, urging the indigenes of the area to join hands with the association in accelerating the development of the district.
In his speech, the President of the LADDA, Deacon Dele Ake, who was
represented by Alhaji Bala Mahmoud, disclosed that the association was also planing to pay the NECO examination fees of indigenes of Patigi local government area, maintaining that despite the business revolution in the area education remains the cardinal focus of the association.
Ake explained that the association embarked on the projects, which cut across all the villages in the district, to complement the efforts of the three tiers of government at making life better for the citizenry.
The programme was attended by representatives of various communities in the three wards of Lade District which comprises over one hundred villages.