Five communities in Ekiti State have heaved a sigh of relief, following the interventions of a Non Governmental Organisation, Environmental Development and Family Health Organisation (EDFHO), with support from ActionAid Nigeria in addressing their age-long social needs.
Three of the communities, Ajebamidele, Aba Osun, Ile-Ona are from Ekiti West Local Government, Ilupeju-Ijan falls under Gbonyin Local Government Area and Ipere-Ekiti from Ilejemeje Local Government Area of the state.
The interventions in those communities was implemented under the ActionAid Nigeria’s Local Rights Programme (LRP) with aimed at improving access to potable water, supporting rural agricultural activities and enhancing the learning environment for school children.
It include provision of motorized borehole with a water storage and distribution system to people of Ajebamidele who have lived decades without access to potable water, donation of furniture to teachers and students of the only school in Aba-Osun, donation of tricycles to women cooperative group of Ipere and farmers of Ilupeju- Ijan and renovation of the Basic Health Care Centre in Ile-Ona.
At the inauguration of the various projects, people of the benefiting communities trooped out in their large numbers to show their excitement.
Some of them who spoke separately with journalists confirmed that their communities have witnessed total neglect by successive governments describing the projects as great relief and life changing.
In his remarks, the Baale of Ajebamdele, Ibrahim Ajao expressed his profound gratitude to EDFHO for coming to their aid, saying the intervention has put to an end years of water scarcity in the community.
Other residents, including Alli Atu Raheem, Iskatu Tiamiyu, Anifat Adelani and Abu Simon, who could not hide their joy, expressed appreciation to EDFHO and ActionAid Nigeria for the interventions, describing them as timely and impactful.
Beneficiaries of tricycles, furniture and renovated clinic also expressed their profound gratitude to ActionAid Nigeria for giving them sense of belongings with a promised to make good use of the facilities.
Speaking during the commissioning of the borehole at Ajebamidele area of Ekiti West, the Executive Director of EDFHO, Olu Ogunrotimi, said it was taxing getting water for the community due to the topography but thank God that after several years of efforts the community could now have access to potable water needed for quality standard of living.
Sir Ogunrotimi confirmed that the organisation struggled very hard to facilitate the building and approval of the only school in Aba Osun, hence the need to support them with necessary furnitures for student and teachers so as to enhance teaching and learning.
He added that the tricycles donated to farmers in Ipere and Ilupeju-Ijan was to assist the beneficiaries in transporting their farm produce to town and market.
Speaking on the renovated health centre, Ogunrotimi noted that the development was to enhance access to quality healthcare at the grassroots.
Speaking during the inauguration of the various projects, the Local Rights Programme Specialist of ActionAid Nigeria, Kehinde Arowosegbe, rejoice with the communities and urged them to take ownership of the facilities iand maintain them properly so as to justify the huge resources invested in them.
Also speaking at Ajebamidele, the representative of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Ekiti State, Kolawole Ebenezer Okeya urged well meaning individuals, corporate bodies and institutions to take a cue from Action aid Nigeria saying government alone cannot attend to all the needs of the people.
Some other stakeholders who spoke showered encomium on Environmental Development and Family Health Organisation (EDFHO), with support from ActionAid Nigeria
