By Vera Wisdom-Bassey
Baale of Ilogbo Elegba, Tajudeen Alani Amusa, has called on the government to have a maintenance culture, especially on projects that have been commissioned.
Amusa, who made the call at the official commissioning of a rehabilitated industrial borehole at Ilogbo Elegba, Ota Awori Local Council Development Area, Lagos, by Olawale Agabga Williams, emphasised the importance of continuous maintenance of such projects.
“I want to call on the government and those providing them to have a maintenance culture. The water was provided by the government and is being maintained by Williams.
“The water is serving a purpose and the community should take it over as their own project, such that if Aganga comes around in six months, the borehole should still be functioning,” he said.
He said anyone destroying properties in the community was fighting against his office, and he would do everything possible to make sure such a person is punished.
Also, he used the opportunity to warn the operators ‘condemn items,’ saying they have turned themselves into armed robbers, stealing iron, metals, and other valuable items.
The Baale described Aganga as a silent operator, who has been doing so much in various communities.
Babatope Okige, leader of the community of Ilogbo recounted how it took him eight months to repair the borehole, saying every effort to get it repaired by the community failed, because the people could not contribute money to put the borehole in place.
Convener of the water project and Managing Director of Olawale Aganga Williams Foundation, Nwosu Jennifer, said when the Community Development Association chairman reported the case of a malfunctioning borehole, which cater for over 500 people in the community of Ilogbo, the founder of the foundation quickly swung into action.
She called on the community to have the attitude of maintenance to make sure it remains functioning so that there would be constant water supply to the community.
Williams’ father, Isaac Olukayode Williams, said: “I really thank God today that Olawale is emulating the philanthropic spirit that has existed in the family over the years, which our forefathers started and have left behind for us to continue. It is, indeed, a plus for me that he is taking the name of my family to a great height; he did the same thing in 2022 at Ajangbadi.
“I pray that anyone who is sick and takes this water, no matter the kind of sickness, will receive his healing and I pray that God will continue to be with the people of the community.”