BY Isijola Kike
The concept of community development was designed by Ondo State Government to serve as a vessel of social integration and rapid transformation.
Towards this end, within the last 7 years, the Mimiko led administration has delivered over 674 community-chosen projects which include, but not limited to Education project in rural areas/communities, Town-Hall project, Water project, Health project, Electrification project, Market project, Security project and Road project, through the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives Services.
Featuring on a radio programme, the former commissioner for community development and cooperatives services and Chairman of PDP in the state, Engineer Clement Faboyede said the projects cut across the state.
Laying emphasis on the projects, Engineer Faboyede said the Education project in rural areas/communities has enabled the construction of well-equipped blocks of 6 classrooms each in 27 communities with deployment of teaching and non-teaching staffs to the schools.
He maintained the project has helped increase Primary school enrollment, enhanced access and safety of students in schools, increase girl-child enrollment, reduce child labour and abuse, improved teaching and reduced recurrent of cost of education.
Engineer Faboyede also said 65 Town halls has been constructed to improved availability of facilities for communal interaction, peace building and cohesion and to generate revenues for communities through social use.
To ensure increase in availability of portable and safe water, he said governor Mimiko has put in place more than 272 solar powered Boreholes and Mono pumps which have reduced man hour labour hitherto used in sourcing for water from streams and river and has helped reduce cases of water borne diseases.
The former commissioner said 105 Basic Health Centres have been constructed with many renovated just as drugs and quality medical equipment provided across the 18 Local government areas of the state.
Engineers Faboyede said governor Mimiko also embarked on the extension of electricity with provision of transformers in other 25 communities of the state.
This he said has improved dweller’s social life and reduced rural-urban drift which could have resulted in over population in places like the state capital and other urban settlements in Ondo state.