By Emmanuel Antswen
Residents of Brewery Community in Makurdi, the Benue capital, have mobilised to clean newly constructed drainages, promoting community ownership and preserving public infrastructure.
Mr Donatus Ode, Chief Executive Officer, Kanode Nigeria Limited, who organised the community, said the exercise would continue until the entire drainage system was cleaned.
He said the cleanup exercise, which entered its third day on Wednesday, attracted youths, elders and other residents who cleared sand, stones and debris from the drainages.
Ode said he initiated the project after noticing that rainfall had deposited large quantities of sand and waste materials inside the drainages.
He explained that the situation could damage the infrastructure if left unattended to.
He said public projects would only achieve their intended purpose when host communities accepted responsibility for protecting and maintaining them.
“If we don’t take ownership of these projects, the government will lose the huge investment made in constructing them.
We are the immediate beneficiaries, so it is our responsibility to keep these drainages clean and functional,” he said.
Ode said he contacted the community youth leader after deciding to organise the exercise, adding that he purchased more than 30 shovels and provided food, water and refreshments for volunteers.
He urged communities across Benue to emulate the initiative, noting that ongoing road and drainage projects executed by the administration of Gov. Hyacinth Alia deserved proper maintenance.
According to him, the road was previously difficult to access, recalling that he once almost lost control of his vehicle while travelling to St John’s Catholic Church, Tyozua, before its reconstruction.
He said the improved road had enhanced transportation, boosted commercial activities and increased property values within the community, describing good roads as critical to economic development.
Ode also appealed to government to engage community-based youth groups in maintaining public infrastructure, saying many educated but unemployed youths possessed the capacity to contribute meaningfully if given the opportunity.
“The governor is doing well. Communities should complement the government’s efforts by protecting these projects. If we maintain them, everyone will continue to benefit from them for many years,” he said.
The Youth Leader of Brewery Community, Mr Washima Luper, commended Gov. Alia for reconstructing the road and constructing durable drainages, describing the project as a major relief to residents.
Luper also thanked Ode for initiating and supporting the cleanup exercise through the provision of tools and logistics, saying the gesture encouraged wider community participation.
“We appreciate Governor Hyacinth Alia for the quality road and drainage project. We also thank Hon. Donatus Ode for bringing the community together to protect what the government has provided.
“We encourage other communities to organise similar exercises in support of development,” he said.
Also speaking, an elder of the community and commander of the local vigilante group, Mr Francis Ayila, said the initiative had inspired residents to take greater responsibility for public facilities within their environment.
Ayila noted that Ode not only mobilised the community but also participated in the cleanup alongside volunteers after providing shovels, food, water and refreshments.
He said the exercise demonstrated that sustainable development required cooperation between government and citizens, urging communities to continue supporting efforts aimed at preserving public infrastructure across the state. NAN
