As residents hail urban renewal projects, anti-poverty programmes

By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Participants at the recently held summit for community based organisations (CBOs) have admonished the Kwara State Government to hire more teachers and healthcare professionals for rural areas.

They also asked the government to support deserving people with cash awards, according to a report of the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Community Development.

Held across the three senatorial districts of the state between August 20 and 24, the summit, which attracted about 900 CBOs, resource persons, and community leaders from across the State, was
organised by the Office of the SSA on Community Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe.

The theme of the summit was ‘Self-help: a sustainable communal development approach’.

“The summit brought together 900 CBOs to discuss strategies for advancing development and promoting inclusive growth in the state. The summit highlighted and applauded some of the government’s initiatives, including ongoing urban renewal projects and infrastructural development, welfare programmes, recruitment and promotion exercise, distribution of palliative items, among others,” Dr Olorungbebe said in the report.

“As the last component of the programme, outstanding CBOs, upon the completion of verification of their submitted self-help projects by a team of independent jurists, will receive awards and matching grants.”

The participants also urged the government to prioritise more interventions in the provision of potable water and public toilets, cash relief or support for deserving members in the communities, and recruitment of more teachers and healthcare providers in rural areas.

They also asked the government to convert abandoned public buildings in the communities to good use and pass or domesticate legislations that provide legal protections and support services for people with disabilities.