Leke Abejide Foundation Inspects ₦10m Community Projects Across 71 Yagba Communities, Urges Judicious Use
The Leke Abejide Foundation (LAF) has concluded an extensive inspection of community development projects being executed across 71 autonomous communities in Yagba Federal Constituency, as part of efforts to ensure quality, accountability and sustainable use of funds provided for the projects.
The inspection team, led by the Foundation’s Director-General, Engr. Ayobami Dada, alongside the Secretary-General, Hon. Tayo Johnson, Dr. Femi Modehin and other members of the team, visited project sites across the communities to assess the level of progress, quality of work and compliance with the objectives of the intervention.
The inspection focused on projects being implemented with the ₦10 million released to each of the 71 communities by the foundation, with interventions covering town halls, classroom blocks, palace buildings, healthcare centres, drainage projects and other community-prioritised infrastructure.
Speaking during the exercise, the Director-General, Engr. Ayobami Dada, said the inspection was necessary to ensure that the projects were executed in line with the foundation’s expectations and delivered value to the benefiting communities.
He explained that the exercise provided an opportunity for the foundation to assess the quality of materials and workmanship, monitor progress and identify areas requiring attention before consideration of the second tranche of funding.
While some communities recorded substantial progress and were adjudged to be executing projects satisfactorily, the team observed that some others were yet to commence meaningful work. Concerns were also raised over the pace of construction, quality of workmanship and the need for proper accountability in the utilisation of the funds.
Hon. Tayo Johnson explained that the intervention was conceived by the founder and financier of the Leke Abejide Foundation, Rt. Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide, to enable each of the 71 communities to establish a lasting project that would ultimately form part of a larger ₦50 million community legacy investment.
He stressed that the foundation was not merely interested in seeing projects completed quickly, but in ensuring that the facilities would remain useful and functional for years to come.
“We are not just interested in the momentum of the work; we are more concerned about the quality that will last for years and serve the interests of each community as a legacy project,” Johnson said.
During interactions with community leaders, the inspection team commended communities where projects demonstrated satisfactory progress, quality and responsible management. The foundation indicated that communities meeting the required standards would be considered for access to the second tranche of funding.
However, the team also expressed concern over communities where implementation had been slow or where the quality of work and accountability required further improvement.
The foundation consequently urged community leaders and project committees to treat the facilities as collective assets rather than projects belonging to any individual or organisation. The communities were encouraged to ensure that funds released for the projects were used strictly for their intended purposes and that completed facilities were properly maintained.
The team further advised beneficiaries to establish appropriate maintenance arrangements and ensure that the completed projects remain accessible and beneficial to the wider community.
The Foundation maintained that the purpose of the intervention was not simply to construct buildings, but to provide facilities capable of addressing identified community needs and serving future generations.
The inspection exercise also reaffirmed LAF’s commitment to sustained investment in grassroots development, particularly in infrastructure, education and institutional development, while emphasising supervision and accountability as key conditions for future interventions.
The exercise is expected to precede the formal consideration and unveiling of the second tranche of funding for communities that have demonstrated satisfactory progress and compliance with the foundation’s project requirements.
For the Leke Abejide Foundation, the inspection represents another step in its stated effort to ensure that community interventions produce lasting value and that resources committed to grassroots development are translated into projects that communities can genuinely own, use and preserve.