Oyo reiterates commitment to eradicate out-of-school children syndrome

…as OYCSDA funds additional 132 micro-projects in 66 communities

In a bid to eradicate out-of-school children syndrome and increase community-driven micro-infrastructure projects, Governor Seyi Makinde has increased project funding of the Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (OYCSDA).

The project funding was increased from ₦15 million to ₦18 million due to rising costs, ensuring that projects in areas like healthcare, education, water, and erosion control are successfully completed.

These efforts, according to Abideen Adeaga, chairman ,OYCSDA are tailored towards eradicating the out-of-school children crisis by construction and renovation of schools with furniture and toilets, mitigate the effects of erosion on communities through intervention in culverts construction, as well as construction and renovation of community health centers and provision of motorised boreholes for the people in the various communities.

Speaking at a training programme organised by the agency at the House of Chiefs, Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi Ibadan, Adeaga disclosed that the agency has disbursed funds for the implementation of another 132 micro-projects across sixty-six communities in Oyo State.

Read also: Ondo moves to boost enrollment, tackle out of school children syndrome

He expressed gratitude to Governor Makinde for his unwavering support in approving the collaboration programme with the World Bank and the Federal Government to achieve the gains of the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme in Oyo State.

The NG-CARES initiative, domesticated as OYO-CARES, according to Adeaga, seeks to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable population, unemployed youths, small businesses and farmers.

“It is also noteworthy to state that the governor approved the review of each Community Development Plan (CDP) from N15million to N18million, so as to take care of the economic realities of the day,” he said.

He highlighted the programme’s significant interventions across 66 communities, marking a historical milestone in the State’s community development efforts.

“This gesture from our governor for approving the disbursement of funds to sixty-six communities across the State is unprecedented, so that OYCSDA would embark on such massive micro-projects,” he said.

Jelili Salau, general manager of OYCSDA, emphasised the training’s dual purpose of building the capacity of CPMCs and initiating the disbursement of funds to kick-start community projects.

He applauded the governor’s foresight in approving funds for 66 concurrent projects and underscored the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders for the program’s success.

The NG-CARES initiative, as stated by Salau, designed, using a Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach, empowers communities to identify, plan, implement and manage their own micro-projects, with OYCSDA ensuring quality standards, supervision, and effective financing throughout the process.

Goodwill messages were delivered by Moroof Atilola, former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly; Tiamiyu Suraju, Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Education Projects Intervention; Busari Olalekan, a former Permanent Secretary and General Manager of OYCSDA; Abisola Adabanija, engineer and member of the OYCSDA board; Jadesola Ajibola as well as the representative of the OYO-CARES Coordinating Unit, among others.