Ondo govt instals 1,600 solar street lights, 54 boreholes in rural communities

The Ondo State Government has disclosed that no fewer than 1,600 solar-powered street lights and 54 boreholes have been approved for installation across the three senatorial districts of the state.

According to the state government, the facilities, when completed, will enable rural dwellers to have access to potable water as well as illumination, stressing that the construction of 20 kilometres of roads has also been approved in each of the 18 local council areas of the state.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Engagement (Ondo Central), Mr. Oluwafemi Fadairo, revealed this while speaking with newsmen at the secretariat of the NUJ Correspondents’ chapel programme tagged ‘The Platform’ in Akure, the state capital.

Fadairo said that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, through his office, has been engaging with communities in order to identify their needs and, in turn, execute the projects for them.

The governor’s aide, who stated that the identification and collation were done alongside fellow Senior Special Assistants, Ogunsakin Andrew (Ondo South) and Bode Obanla (Ondo North), maintained that Aiyedatiwa is determined to invest at the local level to boost farming activities and food security.

He said: “Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa is doing well in alleviating the sufferings in the communities. He has been in the saddle of this government for not up to a year. I believe his four years will surpass the eight years of some past administrations because he has a listening ear.

“The atmosphere in the state is calm because of his leadership by example. These are the things I have been able to do in the past two months as SSA Community for the Central.

“The governor also approved for the three SSAs working for him in the north, south, and central, 54 boreholes across the state to be supervised directly by our office towards the communities highlighted for him.

“He also approved 1,600 solar lights across the three senatorial districts; that is the first phase. The second phase comes when we are through with the first phase.

“We move around interfacing with them (communities), and we noticed some common things in their requests, like solar lights and good roads for transporting their commodities.

“They need the lights because of criminals that use the bush to perpetuate their work. Ours is to report back to the governor. Last two weeks, the Ministry of Water Resources and my office got approval for the resuscitation of Owena Dam, and it is ongoing.”

Fadairo added that with the pedigree of work ongoing in the state by the governor, the people have been endeared to him, with his victory certain in the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election.