By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has handed over 500 projects to rural communities across the state in a bid to stem rural-urban drift.

The benefiting rural communities are spread across the state’s five divisions. The projects ranged from rural electrification, modified type ‘A’ water project, toilets to rural jetties and micro-water works among others.

Modified type A water projects and rural electrification projects were handed over to rural communities in Eti-Osa and Ibeju-Lekki local councils.

At the hand-over ceremony, Special Adviser to the Governor on Establishment and Pensions, Mr. Adebanjo Olufemi who represented the Governor, told the villagers that the projects were meant to bring development to them and to ensure that they were not left out in the scheme of things in the state.

Commissioner for Rural Development, Prince Lanre Balogun, whose ministry executed the projects, said government believed that people in rural and urban areas should have access to social amenities.

He said siting of rural electrification and water projects in rural areas would greatly help to curb rural-urban migration in the state.

On maintaining the projects, Balogun said a team of engineers from the ministry normally go out to interact with the people to know which project needed attention and maintenance.

He added that when the projects were handed over to the benefiting communities, the Community Development Association, CDA were normally instructed to ensure the projects were maintained.

The commissioner said that the state government had adopted the Integrated Rural Development approach in tackling the numerous problems confronting rural communities across the state.

However, 17 rural projects such as rural electrification, Modified Type A water projects and Neighbourhood Watch posts were handed over to rural communities in Eti-Osa and Lekki areas of the state.

The benefiting communities are Orile-Ilasan, Aro, Ilado, Ogoyo, Otunla, Alatishe, Okun Debojo, Solu-Alade, Eleko, Museyo, Akodo, Ita Marun, Olomowewe, Okun Folu and Akodo-Ise.

Also on the tour were the Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Development, Mr. Paul Kalejaiye, the Permanent Secretary, directors, engineers, among others.