The Itesiwaju Omu Arogun Area Community Development Committees (IOACDC) have raised concerns over inadequate government infrastructure projects in Mowe Communities in Ogun State.
The IOACDC, comprising 42 communities in the Mowe Area, appealed to government especially Ogun State Government to provide more basic infrastructural projects needed by the community.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chairmen of the CDCs made the call during the official presentation of certificates to the new CDCs held on Saturday at Jide Awotedu Sports Centre, off Mowe/Ofada Road, Mowe Ogun State.
The Chairman, Arigbanwonwo Area CDC, Mr Adekanye Adetola, said that Mowe Community had been lagging behind when it came to government infrastructural interventions.
“We have not been having it good when it comes to government infrastructural facilities. We do provide everything by ourselves including the roads.
“Some of the major things we lack are electricity and a major road. We lack good electricity, even most of the transformers in the community were bought through the efforts of the CDC.
“The government did not even realise that this community was really existing, thinking it was a farmland.
“During the last election, the government got to know how populated this place is when they saw the voters registration,” he said.
Adetola also called on the government to fix the Mowe/Ofada Road which had been upgraded before the last election.
“We want government to help us fix Mowe/Ofada Road of which the construction has been on for about seven years now.
“The first part of the road which is a dual carriage was done by the past Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, while the present Gov. Dapo Abiodun did the palliatives on it before the election.
“We need more of governments’ presence in providing basic infrastructure for the community,” he said.
Adetola noted that the CDC had been able to educate, motivate and stimulate the people in the area so that they could be the architect of their own developmental programmes.
“Community is about development. The CDC that performed excellently in the developmental programmes with huge projects on the procurement of transformers and accessories about eight communities.
“Other ongoing projects are construction of multi-purpose Community Hall at Ifesowapo Omu Arogun, upgrading of transformers at Daluwon CDA among others,” he said.
Mr Yemi Adebisi, on his part, called on the government to intervene in critical infrastructural development including the provision of public schools, transformers, Primary Health Centre, provision of Police Station and completion of the Mowe/Ofada Road.
“We lack the presence of government in this area. These are key indices of developments that are lacking in this community.
“Over the years, we have made several appeals to the government over the state of our roads until the last Ogun State administration of Sen Ibikunle Amosun who started the Mowe/Ofada Road but did not complete it.
“We want the government to help us complete the road because some of the portions of the road are getting bad.
“We also want the government to help us construct public schools. In Mowe Community at present, there is no public school around, in spite of the population our children.
“They have to travel far distance to attend public schools,” he said.
Adebisi also noted that Mowe Community needed additional Police Station to complement the one opposite the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
“ We need more security around Mowe because of the terrain. The one we have on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway is not enough to serve a community as big as Mowe.
“We also want government to complete the Health Centre under construction in Mowe, of which if completed, should be able to serve us,” he said.
A former CDC Chairman Of Chairmen Ofada Area CDC, Mr Gboyega Adeleke, said that the government had only been able to contribute less than five per cent to the development of Mowe Community.
“I have spent 20 years in this Mowe community because I moved in the year 2003. The development I have seen here is rapid because a place with bushes have been filled up with houses.
“Almost everything called development is provided by the CDC or through private donations.
“The community’s access roads, drainage channels and other things are provided by the residents.
“We need government to complement what we have been doing so far; that is our appeal,” he said.
NAN reports that the 42 CDCs were well represented in company of the traditional rulers in the community. (NAN)
