High Profile host Matogbun Area CDC, honoured ACDC Chairman

The people of Matogbun Area CDC as usual came out in their large number to brainstorm on how to develop and move their community forward. The October edition of the monthly statutory meeting was hosted by High Profile Group 9 of CDAs on Thursday, 3rd of October, 2019 at Amadex Hall, Koye Oke.

High Profile Group 9 of CDAs chairman, Alhaji Ajijola F.S in his welcome address said the group is able to execute some project despite financial difficult in the country and anti community posture of Ikeja Electric. Part of his speech reads: “The general scarcity of fund in the country coupled with no disconnection syndrome order of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company had greatly affected the implementation of project in the community, unfortunately, majority of our members had capitalized on this anti community posture of the Ikeja Electric by not paying their dues again, which has created a lot of challenges for the chairmen in the implementation of projects.

“However, some commendable efforts were made. On road, some CDAs continue to maintain their roads by filling up the bad portions with laterite, while some were engaged in the digging of drainage channels and culverts construction.

“Electricity; the two (2) transformers within the group are being maintained. The rate at which they breakdown nowadays is on the increase. Thanks to the electricity committee for the oversight function. Something has to be done as soon as possible to reduce the load on them, Ikeja Electric should please come to our aids. Replacement of wooden poles with concrete ones and change of cables goes on in most CDAs. Some of our members are now acquiring prepaid metres to solve the problem of overestimated bills. We encourage others to do so.

“Security; we thank God for our safety, most of the CDAs are investing so much in this sector, especially in the payment of night watchmen. Unfortunately, the men of the underworld still terrorize our members; cases of breaking and stealing in houses are on the increase mostly on Sundays when people had gone churches and asalatu. We once appeal to all to be more vigilant.

“Seminars; We wish to inform this gathering that our members actively participated in the two (2) seminars organized by Matogbun Area CDC for chairmen and women leaders, please accept our appreciation.”

Matogbun Area CDC chairman, Deacon O.M. Olapade while responding to the group chairman welcome address, commended the chairman in particular and the group in general for a well done job urging the newly elected CDAs chairmen to attend the leadership and community development course popularly called Sha Sha adding that anyone that did not take the course is not qualify to be a chairman of CDA. Olapade also admonished group chairmen to be training and retraining their members, he also admonished the incoming Area CDC executives to take training serious saying issue of members not paying dues can be solve through training and retraining. He also said the community is working with the police to secure the community by setting up community policing. He said each group chairman should send 5 names from their group that will be part of the voluntary community policing and stated the roles of the volunteer community police officers saying security is everybody’s business. The chairman added that there will be press conference to press for their demand from the state and federal government on the rail project going on in Agbado saying the rail project has disconnected Agbado axis from Ijaiye and environs because the government fails to provide overhead bridge at Agbado for easy movement.

The Career Officer from the Local Government, Mrs. Adeyemo while addressing the gathering admonished them not to pay any contractor that parades him or herself as Local Government officials. She also urged CDAs to start registering their CDAs with the Local Council Development Area (LCDA) adding that registration will give them the opportunity to access grant in aids.

Award of recognition was also presented to the outgoing Matogbun Area CDC’s chairman, Deacon O.M. Olapade by High profile Group 9 of CDAs for his selfless service to community development in particular and humanity in general.

Matogbun Area CDC is one of the Community Development Committees (CDCs) in Ifo Local Government with 11 group of Community Development Associations (CDAs) and over 100 CDAs.