CCEPE boss, ActionAid Nigeria bag Kwara government awards  

Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE), Abdurrahman Akindele Ayuba and ActionAid Nigeria received an outstanding performance award in humanitarian services from Kwara  Government for their support in poverty alleviation and programmes which have culminated to improved standard of living and wellbeing of the people in the state.

According to Ayuba, who was given Citizens Display of Excellence in Community Development” Award, noted that in  the last 16 years, ActionAid Nigeria   has been working groups through them to fight against inequality, injustice and poverty.

“Over the years, this has been done by building community resilience, building individuals and groups (especially men, women, boys, girls and #PWDs-people living with disability) capacity to engage duty bearers (government and traditional institutions) to demand and achieve their rights to a life of dignity free from injustice and poverty.

“Also, in the course of our interventions over the years, huge funds (millions of naira) have been committed to construct Health centres with VIP toilets, Classrooms and library with VIP toilets, Children playsets and several Boreholes in poor underserved communities.

“Several agriculture labour saving and processing equipment (pumping machine, knapsacks, cassava processors, shea-butter processor and palm oil/kernel processor), high yielding disease and drought resistance varieties of seeds and seedlings as well as training on climate resilient sustainable agriculture (agroecology and organic farming) practices have been provided to women farmers across several communities”, he explained.

He further noted that reconstitution, training and retraining of School Based Management Committees (SBMCs) have also been regularly carried out across communities in Asa and Kaiama LGAs.

“About 2500 deliveries have taken place in the Health centre constructed in Nuku community, while more than 5,000 households across communities now have access to potable water through boreholes constructed by AAN/CCEPE. Recently, hundreds of Sanitary pads were distributed to teenage girls across several communities during the 16 days of Activism against Gender-Based violence. Further, through the “Women Voice and Leadership project”, ActionAid is building the economic and political capacity & resilience of women, as well as strengthening the fight against Sexual and Gender based violence.

“Thus, we are grateful to the Kwara State government particularly the Senior Special Assistant on Nongovernmental Affairs, Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas, the Commissioner of Finance, Hon. (Chief) Florence Oyeyemi for recognizing our humble efforts towards changing the narrative for the vulnerable poor and excluded people and communities.

“We equally thank the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and the ADP for their support over the years. Of course, I thank my brothers Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye (CPS to the Governor) and Mallam Qowiyu Olododo (Ag. GM, KWASSIP). I make bold to say that in our 16 years intervention under 3 different governments, the current administration have been the most supportive of our work and indeed of NGOs in the State,” he stated.