Actionaid Nigeria yesterday urged the Kwara State government to replicate its achievements made in selected vulnerable local government areas in the last 15 years in other rural communities for improved growth and development.
The country director of Actionaid Nigeria, Ene Obi, made the call at the close out ceremony of the Local Rights Programme project of the organisation in Ilorin.
Obi enjoined communities to continue to safeguard facilities and structures provided for them and remain vigilant in demanding their rights and holding government accountable.
Represented by Mr. Kehinde Arowosegbe, the country director said the state government should take over the projects executed in the selected communities of Kaiama and Asa local government areas, replicate them in other communities and listen to communities on their needs.
The organisation said it had through collective efforts with the Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE) and the people, built and renovated health centres and schools, provided motorized boreholes to communities and improved livelihoods through training and sustainable agriculture practices.
“We have empowered communities to demand their rights, take ownership of projects, and participate in the democratic process.
“As we bid farewell to the Local Rights Programme in Kwara State, let us not view it as an end but rather as the beginning of a new chapter. The legacy we leave behind is not measured solely by the number of projects implemented, but by the sustainable change we have ignited in the lives of individuals and communities. Let us carry forward the spirit of partnership, activism, and social justice as we continue our collective journey towards a more inclusive and equitable society”, the country director stated.
Actionaid Nigeria, which identified security as part of its challenges during the project period, said many plans were distorted due to insecurity in some areas.
In his remarks, the board chairman for CCEPE, Alhaji Kareem Ishola, said the organisation had in the last 16 years made its contributions to the growth of humanity.
The state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, was represented at the event by his deputy, Mr. Kayode Alabi.
