By Mfon Uyeh
The United Nations defines community development as a process where community members come together to take collective actions and generate solutions to common problems.
Apart from the collective efforts, it has been established that some public spirited individuals do go solo in the provision of basic amenities to their communities.
Community Development Initiative
In our contemporary society, the citizens expect government to provide basic amenities that would guarantee their happiness and welfare among others.
The expectation is not out of place because it is, of course, the responsibility of government to ensure the provision of such amenities.
Regardless of expectations, evidence abound that the state government is not resting on its oars in its quest to provide basic amenities for the citizens.
The basic social amenities are roads, portable water, housing, power, security, and others. In fact, these social infrastructures are critical to human existence, societal growth and economic uplift; and they are best provided by government.
Nevertheless, time was when communities and well to do individuals mobilized resources and did the little they could for their communities through the provision of some basic social amenities.
Perhaps, the understanding by those who undertook such responsibilities on behalf of their communities was that government alone could not do everything at the same time.
At some point, that spirit of community development, where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems for community well being, apparently began to wane.
For instance, water is one of the social amenities that have remained inadequate as millions of Nigerians still lack portable water. There are other basic infrastructures that are in short supply in our society.
This is why the initiative by Engineer Uwem Udoka, one of the Special Assistants to his Excellency, Governor Udom Emmanuel, an indigene of Mbiabam Ibiono, who has taken the bold step to provide some basic amenities for his community deserves commendation.
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According to reports, Engineer Udoka singlehandedly mobilized resources and drilled a borehole with two over head tanks to provide portable water for pupils and teachers at Government Primary school, Mbiabam- Use Ntuen and renovated a dilapidated classroom block within the same school.
Beyond that, the total rehabilitation of Mbiabam water station with the installation of two house power water pump, replacement of steel tanks with four plastic tanks, reroofing and provision of a perimeter fence and burglary proof wire as well as the plastering of the community hall, stand to his credit.
The community development initiative of Engineer Uwem Udoka has also witnessed the grading of roads in his Mbiabam community and human capacity development through women empowerment.
However, in recent times, there have been pockets of reports about community development efforts by groups and individuals but this particular intervention should be seen as a spark to resuscitate the almost extinguished zeal for community development among our people.
For those holding one position or the other, both in public and private sector, emulating this example would be a worthy cause after all, it is important for people to also think of what they can do for their communities , by extension the state and not only what the state can do for them.
