Community development groups in Olorunda Local Council Development Area have been charged to take firmer responsibility for security and protection of public infrastructure as part of efforts to sustain order at the grassroots.
The Executive Chairman of the council, Hon. Peter Ajose, stated this in a speech delivered on Tuesday at the Annual General Meeting of Community Development Committees (CDCs) and Community Development Associations (CDAs) held at the council secretariat in Iworo.
Ajose, while addressing traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders, underscored the link between governance and grassroots structures, saying their roles are inseparable.
“We often say that the government is the ‘head,’ but the CDAs are the ‘heart.’ Without the heart pumping life into the streets, the head can not function. You are the bridge between the policy room and the living room,” he said.
He acknowledged the role of the groups in maintaining relative peace across the council area through conflict resolution, local security coordination and environmental management.
“You are the unsung heroes of our democracy because the government ends where the street begins. You are our first responders, our peacebuilders, and the eyes and ears of our security,” the chairman said.
Reviewing the council’s activities within the past year, Kumayon pointed to the reconstruction of Mowo Road, which he described as a direct response to residents’ complaints.
On security, he linked improvements in safety to sustained engagement with community-based security outfits and vigilance among residents.
“Our communities are safer today because you refused to keep quiet,” he added.
The chairman also highlighted efforts in skills development through vocational centres, targeting youths and women across the council area. According to him, “We are not just giving them fish; we are teaching them how to fish.”
He disclosed that the council’s upcoming budget will focus on internal roads and drainage projects as part of measures to address challenges associated with the rainy season.
Kumayon urged community leaders to take greater responsibility for safeguarding public infrastructure, warning against acts of neglect and vandalism.
He also called on CDAs to establish youth wings to channel the energy of young people into community service, warning that neglecting them could pose future risks.
The council chairman expressed optimism about continued cooperation between the council and community groups, noting that collective effort remains key to addressing emerging challenges in the area.
