The Lagos State has inaugurated projects under the “One Community At A Time” (OCCAT) initiative in Taluko, a community in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of the state.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Folasade Jaji, led the OCAAT team, state and local government officials to inaugurate the projects in the community on Friday.
Jaji said the implementation of the programme was part of efforts to improve underserved communities with little or no access to fundamental basic amenities.
OCAAT is an initiative supervised and coordinated by the office of the SSG in conjunction with the Lagos State Operations Coordinating Unit (LASOCU) for National Social Safety Nets Projects (NASSP) and Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget.
The items distributed included tricycles to ease evacuation of farm products, generating sets, borehole and water tanks.
Others include 240 kilograms of hybrid maize seedlings, 100 Coconut seedlings with commitment for another 200 by the General Manager, Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA), Mr Dapo Olakulehin.
She listed others as plantain suckers, pineapple crowns and various pepper seedlings.
Jaji said the items were donated to improve the livelihood and productivity of residents of the community, who she said were predominantly farmers.
The SSG thanked the governor for his unflinching support toward the initiative.
“The objective of OCAAT is to complement the efforts of the government in making life easy for all the citizens.
“It also serves as a catalyst for the Corporate Social Responsibility activities of the private sector,” she said.
She urged the residents to guard the items donated jealously, noting that it was important to collectively ensure a better community by taking ownership of whatever government provided for them.
In his remarks, Olakulehin, General Manager, LASCODA, urged the beneficiaries to ensure judicious use of the items as well as take ownership and maintain them.
He promised that LASCODA would supply more coconut seedlings to the community under the Coconut Renewal Initiative of the state government.
The representatives of various groups of the community thanked the SSG for the kind gesture in facilitating Taluko community to be one of the beneficiaries of OCAAT initiative.
They appealed to the SSG to facilitate the rehabilitation of the road leading to the community as it is usually not motorable during the rainy season.
They also requested for electricity and land excision.
