Community-based Associations, Agent Of Development – Aregbesola

[Defender]

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has identified community-based associations, as an agent through which rapid development could be brought to communities in the state.

He made this known in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Council Area of the state on Saturday, while speaking at the 20th edition of Iragbiji Day celebration and launching of the town's N100 million Development Fund, saying that though, government is the primary agent of development, people must always look up to support the government, for the development of communities.

On the significance of the event, the governor stated that the coming together of sons and daughters of a community, has positive sociological and economic effect on the community and the state in general, adding that it was an opportunity to reunite friends, acquaintances, relations and also an avenue to strengthen the bond of unity, as well as providing ample opportunities for community development.

According to him, "One of the ways to bring rapid development to our community is through community-based association. In the past, the major development used to come through help from community associations; schools, hospitals and town halls were provided through community associations. Many of our leaders went to school through community associations, which gave them scholarships and it is good that this is being revived."

"This is not an advocacy for government to abrogate from its responsibilities. The government is still the primary agent of development and the people must always look up to it to perform their responsibilities", the governor stated.

Aregbesola noted that the state government has included Iragbiji in its developmental programmes, saying; "the community is benefiting from our flood control programme; it will also benefit from new public schools that are being constructed across the state and it will benefit from our massive urban renewal and road construction".

The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, who was the chief host of the event, said the significance of the effect was an effort by the community, to call on its sons and daughters and other well-wishers, to support its drive for economic development of the community and the state in general, as the government could not do everything for the community.

He said: "This is a way of supporting government in its programmes. It is like replicating at the mini level, what our government is doing in the community. I am proud to say that the community is supporting the government programmes in all areas".

Enjoining the people of the community to key-in to the six-point integral action plan of the present administration in the state, especially in the area of environmental sanitation, Oyetola challenged the people of the area, to ensure that their environments are made clean and cultivate the habit of cleanliness.

He noted: "In terms of cleanliness, some areas of concern are being addressed and this is an opportunity for us to ensure that our environment is made clean, we should key-in to the concept of O'CLEAN that is being anchored at the state level".

The Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, in his own address, called on the people of the community and the state in general, to support the government and be patient, with a view to ensuring that Aregbesola administration of achieved its desired goals of developing the state.

The Aragbiji of Iragbiji; Oba Abdul-Rasheed Olabomi then urged the people of the community, to key-in into the programmes of the government and desist from destroying government properties by ensuring environmental cleanliness.

Osun Defender