ABEIJIDE FOUNDATION INSPECTS ₦710M COMMUNITY PROJECTS, SETS CONDITIONS FOR SECOND TRANCHE
By Our Correspondent
LOKOJA — The Leke Abejide Foundation (LAF) has concluded a comprehensive assessment of development projects executed across 71 autonomous communities in Yagba Federal Constituency, Kogi State, to ensure accountability, quality delivery and sustainable utilisation of funds.
The inspection focused on projects being implemented with the ₦10 million allocated to each of the 71 communities under the ₦710 million community development intervention initiated by the member representing Yagba East/West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and founder of the foundation, RT. Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide.
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The exercise was aimed at assessing the progress, quality and utilisation of the initial funds released to the communities and determining those that met the requirements for further disbursement.
The intervention, flagged off on May 8, 2026, covers community-prioritised projects including town halls, classroom blocks, palace buildings, healthcare centres, drainage systems and other critical infrastructure.
The assessment team, led by the Foundation’s Director-General, Engr. Ayobami Dada, alongside the Secretary-General, Hon. Tayo Johnson, Dr. Femi Modeyin and other officials, visited project sites across the communities to evaluate the level of implementation, quality of workmanship, materials used and compliance with the objectives of the intervention.
Dada, who spoke during the exercise, said the inspection was necessary to ensure that the projects were executed in line with the foundation’s expectations and delivered tangible value to the benefiting communities.
He added that the exercise also enabled the foundation to identify areas requiring attention and assess the readiness of communities for consideration for the second tranche of funding
While some communities recorded substantial progress and were adjudged to have implemented their projects satisfactorily, the team observed that work was yet to commence meaningfully in some areas.
The foundation also raised concerns over the pace of construction, quality of workmanship and accountability in the utilisation of funds in some communities.
Johnson said the intervention was conceived by Abejide to enable each of the 71 communities to establish a lasting development project as part of a broader plan to build towards a ₦50 million community legacy investment.
He stressed that the foundation was not merely interested in the speed of project completion, but in ensuring that the facilities were durable, functional and capable of serving the communities for years to come.
The inspection team commended communities where projects demonstrated satisfactory progress, quality workmanship and responsible management, noting that such communities would be considered for the second tranche of funding.
However, communities where implementation had been slow or where concerns were identified over workmanship and accountability were urged to address the shortcomings before they could qualify for further disbursement.
The foundation also urged community leaders and project committees to regard the projects as collective assets and ensure that funds released were used strictly for their approved purposes.
It further advised the communities to establish appropriate maintenance mechanisms to preserve completed facilities and ensure their continued accessibility and usefulness to residents.
The foundation maintained that the intervention was designed not merely to construct buildings, but to provide sustainable infrastructure capable of addressing identified community needs and serving present and future generations across Yagba Federal Constituency.
Abejide has continued to earn commendations for his governance and community development initiatives, which residents describe as unprecedented in the history of the federal constituency. His supporters say the numerous interventions ongoing across the three local government areas represent a marked departure from traditional political leadership and have translated into tangible, far-reaching development across the constituency.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, 27TH AUGUST, 2027)
