The Centre for Social Awarenesses, Advocacy and Ethics (CSAAE), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has urged government at all levels to prioritise infrastructure development in the rural areas.
CSAAE’s Executive Director, Rev. Fr. Godswill Agbagwa, said this at the grand finale of the organisation’s 10th anniversary celebrations on Sunday, December 15, 2024, in Owerri, Imo State.
Agbagwa, a Catholic priest, frowned at what he described as the “over concentration of development in the urban areas”.
He said that people could decide to reside in the rural communities, if infrastructure, such as functional medical facilities, schools, potable water and others, was guaranteed.
“The best way to open up a state is to concentrate development on rural areas and government should take a critical look at this because those who reside in rural areas are no less Nigerians than the folks in the cities and, therefore, deserve better life too,” Agbagwa said.
He also said that, over the past 10 years, the NGO had contributed to building a better society by empowering young people, women and the vulnerable.
“What we do is to work on the young people, instil ethical values in them and urge them to extend the same to others, that way the country keeps getting better.
“We have impacted the lives of students, widows and vulnerable persons, while offering scholarships to less-privileged students to ease the burden on parents.
“Our back-to-school pack is one of those programmes deployed to offer quality education and provide a brighter future for the students and, only last week, we doled out N1.2 million to winners of our ethics quiz competition for undergraduates,” he said.
He further said that the centre also carried out advocacy against gender-based violence, victimisation and intimidation of vulnerable children and widows, being denied their rights of inheritance, with the help of its over 15 pro bono lawyers offering free legal services.
“We have equipped 8,000 youths with employability support, trained 130,000 young people on digital skills, offered 7,300 students with educational development, provided 8,500 youths with training in social justice system, among others.
“In the next 10 years, CSAAE will concentrate its energy on rural communities by building standard schools and improving primary healthcare delivery through the provision of smart health centres.
“Also, through the delivery of smart schools, the best teachers and doctors can be posted to the rural areas,” he said.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the centre’s Chief Operating Officer, Miss Francisca Okwuonu, described the event as the final lap of the anniversary celebrations, which initially began in the United States.
Okwuonu expressed joy over the success of the CSAAE’s journey so far and extended her gratitude to everyone who came to celebrate and identify with the organisation.
A beneficiary of the CSAAE’s empowerment programme, Mr Russel Chikezie, thanked the organisation for its mentorship which, he said, enabled him to start a mushroom farm “that is currently booming”.
A major highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to individuals, who effectively partnered with the centre in the past decade and contributed to its success story.
By Victor Nwachukwu
