The people of Ilesha Baruba in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State were yesterday filled with renewed hope as the Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, led a team from the Nigeria Hydro-Electric Power Producing Area Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) on a needs assessment tour of the community.
The Minister’s visit to Ilesha Baruba comes barely 24 hours after she, on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume CON, inaugurated the Patigi Erosion Control Drainage project that was executed by N-HYPPADEC in Patigi, another town in Kwara North senatotial district of Kwara.
In Okuta-Baruten, also in Baruten Local Government Area, the Minister equally commissioned a primary school project that was also completed by N-HYPPADEC, as part of efforts to expand acess to basic education in the community.
Dr. Bio, who was accompanied by the Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa fcna, FNIM, and some top management staff of the Commission, said they were in Kwara North to inaugurate some projects and to also carry out a needs assessment of flood-affected communities requiring urgent interventions.
“This commissioning and assessment tour mark the beginning of many federal interventions to come for the people of Baruten and Kwara North as a whole,” the Minister said.
On his part, the Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Yelwa, pledged that his Commission would accelerate efforts to execute more development projects across Kwara north.
He made this pledge during a courtesy visit to the palace of the Emir of Ilesha Baruba, Prof. Halidu Abubakar, who noted that he was pleased to receive Minister Bio and the N-HYPPADEC delegation.
The Emir emphasized the need for development interventions in Ilesha Baruba and other parts of Baruten, urging the federal government to provide more assistance for the local government.
“This place is the center of poverty and underdevelopment in Nigeria,” said the monarch.
“You will succeed if you come to places like this and do something tangible to help the people. Whatever effort you can put to our development; no matter how small, it will go a long way,” he added.
Prof. Abubakar commended Dr. Bio for her dedication and commitment to the development of Baruten, saying the Minister had been doing a lot to attract development and move local government out of poverty.
The Emir said: “Jamila is someone I will not flatter if she doesn’t deserve flattery. She’s built a successful career as a development practitioner, not as a politician, and I’m so proud of her. She has been working tirelessly to move us out of poverty, and her resolve and commitment are evident in her actions.
“One year or so she has been in office, I have evidence she has been doing her best to facilitate developmental projects and programmes to our community. She was in Ondo a few days ago and today, she is here. That shows her resolve and commitment to her people. I don’t praise politicians, I don’t praise anybody, but when someone does something praiseworthy, we must say it.”
