By Akinnodi Francis, Ondo

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The Ondo State Government, through the State Community and Social Development Agency (ODCSDA), has spent ₦1,055,287,755 as grants for community development .

The Permanent Secretary of the agency, Mr. Bosun Ogundipe, disclosed this while speaking with The Hope.

He stated that the amount covers the activities of the Ondo State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (ONDO-CARES) programme under the agency from March 2022 to December 2024.

Ogundipe noted that 331,807 communities and groups have directly benefited from completed and functional micro-projects across the state.

He emphasized that the government, under the able leadership of Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is committed to making life more meaningful for the people through the provision of functional infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the beneficiary communities and groups have commended the government for its efforts in mobilizing community resources to provide facilities and an enabling environment for socio-economic development in the state.

According to a community leader, Prophet Joshua Olayiwola, “as a community, we wish to express our gratitude to the management of ODCSDA and the Ondo State Government for constructing and equipping the Basic Health Centre that we have been agitating for over the years.

“Additionally, we appreciate the provision of potable water for community members. This has greatly improved access to clean water. We sincerely thank the agency and the government for considering Alabiyamo community as a beneficiary of the ONDO-CARES programme.”

Similarly, Alhaji Ipinloju Yahaya highlighted that community development is a process where communities come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems.

“Such grassroots collective action often succeeds more than top-down approaches introduced by the government, as the former reflects the actual needs of the people and fosters community commitment and sustainability. This is typical of ODCSDA’s mode of operation,” he noted.

He urged the government to be more proactive in sustaining the agency, stating, “we look forward to attracting more assistance for developmental projects.”

Mrs. F.O. Fagbenro also praised the government’s initiative, saying, “the infrastructure provided has tremendously contributed to the upliftment, development, and growth of communities, enhancing expansion and transformation across the state. It is laudable, and like Oliver Twist, we ask for more.”

The beneficiaries acknowledged that development cannot be achieved without a strong structure and quality management. They, therefore, appreciated the state government for establishing ODCSDA and equipping it with the necessary resources to function optimally.