The Second Secretary of the Australian High Commission in Abuja, Mr. Calum Walker, has said that his country would continue to partner with relevant government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in order to make life more meaningful for the people of Nigeria, especially those at the grassroots.
Mr. Walker stated this during his visit to inspect a Smart Water Kiosk equipped with a borehole, water treatment plant, and solar energy at Ijaiye community in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The project was facilitated by an Australia-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), FAIRACTION International, through its Nigerian subsidiary, FAIRACTION Nigeria, and funded by the Australian High Commission in Abuja.
Mr. Walker, who expressed happiness over the project, commended the initiative of the founder of FAIRACTION International, Sam Adeoti, a PhD transdisciplinary researcher at the University of Technology, Sydney in Australia.
He asserted that Adeoti has been able to use his Australian education to impact his country positively.
The Second Secretary said with the completion of the Ijaiye project, four more projects, all aimed at providing potable water to communities experiencing water challenges, are currently ongoing across different communities.
He added that the Australian High Commission would also continue to look at further collaborations with FAIRACTION to achieve sustainable communal development in Nigeria.
During the visit, residents of Ijaiye community, who had trooped out en masse to welcome Mr. Walker, despite the rain, appreciated FAIRACTION and the Australian government for their support.
A community leader, Mr. Bisi Aderibigbe, said: “We had suffered a lot in the area of potable water, and we consider ourselves lucky that the project was brought to our community.
“We will never take this for granted; we will ensure that the project is well taken care of so that whenever FAIRACTION and the Australian government want to embark on another project, our community will be considered again.”
Mr. Walker, alongside officials of FAIRACTION Nigeria, then visited the site of another water project at Alabata community, also in Akinyele Local Government Area, to monitor its progress, with plans for it to be ready by October.
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