•Bishop Babatunde Ogunbanwo
The Bishop of Ijebu South West (Anglican Communion), The Right Reverend Dr Babatunde Ogunbanwo, has expressed concern over the high rate of abandoned projects by governments across the country.
He revealed that many projects and programmes embarked upon by governments at different levels lack elements of self-reliance and citizen participation, reports Nigerian Tribune.
Bishop Ogunbanwo made these remarks in his presidential address/Bishop’s charge to the third session of the fifth Synod of the Diocese, held at St Jude’s Church, Ijesa-Ijebu, last Friday. The theme of the Synod was Christian Steadfastness in a VUCA World.
He submitted that the democracy practised in the country is not a participatory one, considering the fact that many programmes initiated by various tiers of government have been abandoned due to the lack of citizen involvement.
The cleric said this trend has resulted in a waste of financial resources, amounting to billions of naira, while the problems these projects were meant to solve remain unaddressed.
He said: “Look around you—it is an established fact that projects and programmes lacking the elements of self-reliance and citizen participation are hardly sustainable.
“Citizen participation will enlist their interest, their felt needs will be known, and people often feel indifferent, seeing such initiatives as government projects rather than community-driven efforts. Hence, public commitment to the sustainability of these projects will be very low or, in some cases, nonexistent.
“In fact, the government sometimes implements projects that the people do not need or initiatives that provide no real benefit to the community. It is often about ‘food for the boys’. Many of these projects are politically motivated, serving as avenues to settle deep-seated vested interests.”
Bishop Ogunbanwo, therefore, appealed to the nation’s leaders to prioritise community development and ensure grassroots involvement in policy and decision-making, which is essential for sustaining laudable government projects.
“The welfare and development of our people and our communities should not be politicised, irrespective of the political party in power,” he added.
He commended the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration for its commendable efforts in developing the state under the ISEYA mantra.
While urging the state government to rise to the challenge of tackling kidnapping, robbery, and other social vices, he called for concerted efforts to enhance security across the state.
