Sagbokoji Community Appeals to Gov’t for Electricity, Water , Commends Customs CSR Interventions
Sagbokoji Island, a community under the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State has once again called the attention of the Lagos State Government to provide them with electricity and potable water.
During a visit to the community by the JournalNG team, the Baale of the community, Chief Anthony Ovime Yonlonfun explained that they have made the request several times but nothing has been done about it.
He said the oil companies surrounding the area have completely affected their major source of livelihood which is fishing negatively with their activities.These companies have electricity and potable water but have not done anything to support Sagbokoji Island despite several requests.
Chief Yonlonfun recalled that the Nigeria Customs Service remodeled the only primary school and healthcare center in the area recently.According to him, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi commissioned the renovated primary school and health care center recently in the community.He expressed appreciation to the Nigeria Customs Service for the intervention.
“Some of our residents go to Makoko and Kirikiri with tanks to buy water.We have told the government several times that we don’t have water.Some companies around us have water and electricity but they didn’t come to our aid. We don’t have electricity on this Island.We depend on solar for power.
“We have always been voting for those that have been in power. I have always spearheaded the campaigns.Ayodele Adewale, the former chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government did a lot for us.Other past Chairmen promised us a lot but didn’t fufil their promises.
“We are very happy about the donations because we didn’t expect that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) could do such for us.”
The officer in charge of the Sagbokoji Healthcare Center, Bankole Ebenezer said some of the challenges facing the facility before the Nigeria Customs Service intervened include lack of water, electricity and health workers .
He disclosed that the NCS provided solar energy, renovated the toilets , provided water and hospital beds.
Ebenezer said due to the renovation, many people have been visiting the center to assess their health .He emphasised that the only challenge faced by the center is shortage of manpower as there are just two health officials in the facility.
“There was no water in the center.We had electricity challenge. We also had limited resources to work with in terms of the personnel. But when NCS came to assist the Sagbokoji Healthcare Center, they provided us with solar energy , renovated the toilets, provided water in the facility, instruments for diagnosis and hospital beds which enhanced the accessibility of the residents to the facility.”
“The assistance they have done for us, has gone a long way.There is high flow of patients coming to the health center to assess their health now, compared to before. We are so much happy .God will bless them.
“The only challenge that we are facing here now, is shortage of manpower. I appeal to the Lagos State Government through Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to help us to employ more health professionals so that they can fill the gap .”
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