Citizen responsibility to community was exhibited in full display by the people of Ubiaja Community in the South -East Local Government of Edo State recently.
Indigenes delivered a 140 units of solar street lights in their community to support government’s effort of providing electricity to the people.
Disclosing this in a statement Tuesday, Chief Robert Okharedia, Chairman, Ubiaja Projects Coordination Committee, said the initiative was in line with the “Light-Up Africa” by the African Development Bank (AfDP).
According to him: “The initiative was also in sync with the “Light-Up Edo State Project” of Gov. Godwin Obaseki, aimed at recreating night life and ensuring security of lives and property.
Okharedia disclosed that community effort and contribution ensured the success of the completion of the ‘Light – Up Ubiaja project as nearly 200 subscribers of Ubiaja households, family and friends from across the world willingly took part in the fund drive.
”We are optimistic that lighting up our hometown is a necessary first step to securing Ubiaja from bandits and insurgents.
“But only until 2021 when the sons and daughters of Ubiaja across the world decided to light up Ubiaja that things began to return again to the kingdom.
“This is in sync with the global vision to “Light-Up Africa ” by the African Development Bank and more recently the “Light-Up Edo State Project ” of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“As of date, 140 units of high intensity solar street lights have been installed in various strategic locations across Ubiaja.
The Chairman l, Ubiaja Project Coordination Committee disclosed further that the Light Up Ubiaja Project is a continuous job:
“More deployments are ongoing even this moment as the project development fund committee has launched the “adopt-a-junction” campaign for more sponsorships to light up and to secure Ubiaja.
“Upon completion of the Light-Up Ubiaja and Secure-Ubiaja Projects, we plan to collaborate and partner with governments and development partners and donors at the international, national, sub-national, and local tiers to tackle the issues of unemployment for our youths and women,” he said.
Okharedia expressed his pride in the multiplicity of subscribers who are committed to the cause, with every demography represented. He expressed his pleasure that both old and young, rich and poor, those here in Nigeria and in the diaspora are part of the great initiative: “We can no longer wait for government funding for development in these times of new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic era.
“We must take charge of the destiny of our children as community leaders,” he said.
He noted further how 15 Ubiaja sons and daughters recently joined hands to establish an investment company aimed at processing locally available staples into consumer-packaged foods in the community to feed Nigeria, disclosing that the first project of the company was the Ubiaja Cassava Processing Factory, which is to promote economic activities and job creation opportunities.
However, Okharedia lamented the lack of supply security of cassava feedstock and price volatility had slowed down the expansion plan, including the High-Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF).
He therefore called on Edo State Government and donor agencies to support the project to fast track the social-economic transformation of a secured Ubiaja.
He pledged emphasized that the community was committed to catalysing the state’s investments in cassava production at Ubiaja, Oria and Udo to create more job opportunities for the youth and women.
On the part of the traditional ruler of Ubiaja, Eidenojie 1 of the community, Chief Curtis Iredia expressed his support of the project and said he was extremely impressed with the accomplishments of the project subscribers:
“I am one hundred per cent in full support of the ”Light-up Ubiaja Project”. Look at my compound, it has been lit up by the sponsors, as a showcase.
“I am happy and thankful as we work together for a more secured Ubiaja and the Ubiaja Kingdom.”
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This has nothing to do with AfDB, Godwin Obaseki, government or political. You are not even suppose to mention any of those names knowing fully well how the money was raised for the project. This was done by Ubiaja young men and women as a result of the failed government. This whole lighting system can be done buy one person, especially Senator or rather nator Odion Ugbesia, instead he spent the money on alcohol and cuba sigar. I think the rest of you in government should do the needful, because when the time is ripe you and your family will not have a place to hide
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