World Bank, Oyo partner on community projects

Residents of Igbeti, Ajaawa and Oyo town have commended the Oyo State Community Social Development Agency ( CSDA) and World Bank for ‘’life changing projects’’ executed in the communities

ver 687 projects have been executed across the state since 2016 through the World Bank- CSDA partnership.

Residents of the benefiting communities, who spoke during the impact assessment and evaluation tour of some of the projects sited in Olorunsogo, Ogo-oluwa and Oyo East local government councils respectively, on Monday, described the projects as people-oriented.

In Igbeti, a group of physically challenged and widows, expressed happiness over the purchase of four tricycles and provision of a motorised borehole for the community.

A physically challenged middle- aged man, Taiwo Abolade, who expressed joy over the projects, said members of the group had to trek for miles to get water before the borehole was dug.

“As a group of physically challenged and widows, we wrote the CSDA and followed all the process, and when our requests were granted, they provided the funds while we executed the projects.

“They asked us to show evidence of our five per cent contribution either in cash or kind, after that we awarded the project to our preferred service providers and also bought the tricycle.

“We used the knowledge of the training given to us at the CSDA seminar in choosing service providers and in managing and supervision of the projects.

In another community also in Igbeti, Olorunsogo council area, residents applauded the construction of a health centre facility, saying it has helped in saving lives and reduced child mortality.

Chairman of the Community Project Management Committee (CPMC), Muibdeen Ibrahim, said that N5 million was spent on the project.

“The health centre has been of tremendous assistance to the community and to the whole of Igbeti, this area is just developing and most people don’t have cars or motorbikes.

“So it was always difficult when our wives are in labour or our children require emergency. Now, we have a health centre facility that caters for our health need to a very large extent and we are grateful to Oyo State government and the World Bank over this gesture,” he said.

Another resident, Wasiu Arikeusola, disclosed that the community unanimously agreed to request for the construction of health centre as the need was really dire.