Engagement with Rural dwellers, sign of great things to come – Community Leaders Commend Aiyedatiwa, seek continued collaboration, support
A support group for the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa dedicated to promoting citizen participation in governance, Community Engagement for Lucky Aiyedatiwa (CELA) has concluded a 3-day long engagement with inhabitants of rural communities in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo local government area on Thursday.
This was disclosed by the Director of Strategy and Communication of the group, Seun Aruwajoye. According to him, “CELA has successfully completed its rural community engagement initiative which lasted for 3-days in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo local government area. We took the inclusive governance agenda of Lucky Aiyedatiwa to our people and to solicit their support for the continuity of the good works of the Governor in Ondo state.”
On his own part, the Convener of the group, Adeolu Iwakun highlighted Aiyedatiwa’s efforts to ensure no community is left behind.
“Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has demonstrated pure love for rural communities. Here in Ile-Oluji, we saw an ongoing Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) to connect the rural communities to other major towns and also ensure farm produce get to the right market seamlessly. We brought this gospel to our people and they gladly received it.”
The group, who started the outreach on Tuesday in the local government area and ended it on Thursday, noted that thetg group’s agenda is to empower rural communities to shape their own future.
Leaders and members of the rural communities who lamented the abandonment by government for many years praised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for changing the narrative and bringing governance to their doorstep.
According to Olori Akinmoyeje Yemi Abiola, the wife of the monarch in Lipanu community, “We have experienced zero patronage from government in the past but this visit by the representatives of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is a sign that our time has finally come.
“We have been treated as total outcast in our state. We are happy that such dark era has ended. We plead with our Governor to help us finish up the building the community erected to serve as our Health Center. We can’t afford to continue losing our people to inadequate health care.”
Mr. Blessing Allan from Lalepa community also pleaded with the government to ensure a continued collaboration with rural communities beyond the electioneering period.
According to him, “We only see politicians in our area during electioneering period, but this is different and we want it to continue. You are here to access our needs and interact with us. We have a lot of needs but we must thank the Governor for the ongoing Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) in our community. We will not be ungrateful.
“The Governor has to ensure the continuity of this engagement because it will help bring governance closer to us.”
Over the past 5 months, the CELA team has engaged with numerous rural communities, conducting open meetings and door-to-door outreach.
The coordinator the group in Ile-Oluji/Okeigbo local government area, Honorable Tosin believes the initiative demonstrates Aiyedatiwa’s commitment to bridging the gap between the people and their government.
The group is expected to extend its engagement to other rural communities across the 18 local government areas of the state before the November 16 Guber election.
