Some groups of young men and women in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State, under the aegis of Abubakar Bukola Saraki Volunteer Network has given a new dimension to voluntary community service in the state.

The people, who identified some blocked drainages and the danger attached as rainy season commences, came together to act as their brother’s keeper by clearing the drainages at Saw Mill Garage linking Oko-Erin, one of the areas susceptible to flood.

Led by the team of volunteers, Kwara Youth Action, Maigida door-to-door, Kwara Lefro, manager of ABS FC and members of the community, the volunteers commenced awareness and sensitisation on the exercise through BBM, Twitter and Facebook, while the call for community development service witnessed great turn out.

Speaking with Community News, during the exercise, a member of the group, who is also the Special Assistant on Advocacy and Media to Senator Bukola Saraki, Mr. Bamikole Omishore, said the action was meant to complement efforts of the Senator and the state government in their development plans and advocacy to get communities prepared for the rainy season in order to avoid flooding which led to loss of lives and properties in the state last year.

Also speaking, the Project Coordinator for ABS constituency office, Mr. Ibrahim Olayinka, said he was indeed proud that the community members turned out  to be part of the change and development.

He said the development, described as ‘My House Project’ (MHP) was thoughtfully designed to attend to grass roots environmental challenges by motivating people to respond to the challenges and create a platform to ameliorate such as the community development service.

“This will be a continuous effort and we challenge other groups to focus on programmes that will  improve their community as government cannot do it all alone,” he said.

A member of the community, Alade Rotimi said, “the exercise is the kind of change we seek, change that carries the community along, while members of the political profile join their community to improve the standard of living.”

He said that he would encourage the community not to wait till the drainages were blocked, adding that the community would start taking proactive measures.