- Pledges to amplify Kwara community’s voice
A delegation of Connected Development, CODE, has pledged to help amplify the voice of the people of Laduba, Asa Local Government Area, in Kwara State in a bid to draw attention to their infrastructural needs and revive economic activities in the community.
The Community of Practice, CoP, gave the assurance on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, when they paid a preliminary visit to Laduba community to ascertain the implementation level of a solar power street light project in selected areas of the community.
The constituency project in the 2023 Appropriation bill, being implemented by the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service has a budget cost of N30, 000 000.
The CoP members, who also embarked on an outreach to sensitize stakeholders and the people on project tracking and use of the NOMTRAC tool
Responding to inquiries from the CODE, the Alangua of Laduba, Alhaji Saheed Adelodun Ariwajoye, confirmed the execution of the street light project. He, however, could not confirm the exact number of the street light poles erected in Laduba.
According to him, the lights numbering about nine are located at the palace, central mosque, the market square and some other random places.
The traditional ruler also noted that the community suffers electricity challenge due to the incapacity of the transformer which can no longer serve the rapidly growing population of the community.
While commending the state government for its developmental efforts in Laduba, the Alangua said the Primary Health Centre in the community needs qualified personnel to attend to people, adding that the community school also needs fence.
A community leader, Mr Saadu Kororo Laduba, stressed the negative impact of the Oshin/Ita-Elepa – Laduba road on the economic situation in Laduba and its axis.
He said, “One of the crucial interventions we need from the government is the rehabilitation of the road that directly links Laduba to Asa dam area of the capital city. These allows for easy movement of goods and services.
“We were still managing the bad road until the bridge eventually collapsed. Now, our people have to navigate through Ganmo-Afon road. That is a very wrong route and is affecting businesss. We beg the government to do something about it.
“Let me also add that although, the solar electricity project has been executed, we are not the only beneficiary. We had to share with other neighbouring communities like Budo Agun, Ago-Oja, Abayawo and Sapati. So, we do not have up to 10 poles out of the 20 poles budgeted for.”
The team during a tour of the town confirmed about six poles in Laduba community.
Expressing their frustration during the outreach at the market square, youths and women lamented the drop in economic activities since the Oshin-Laduba road has become unmotorable.
They vowed to boycott any coming election if something urgent is not done to ameliorate the sufferings.
They, however, vowed to make use of the NOMTRAC app to draw the attention of their representatives to their plight.