The Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government, Alhaji Ismaila Sanni, has outlined major achievements recorded under his leadership, describing the period as one of significant transformation in community governance and grassroots participation.
Sanni, who has served as CDC chairman for two and a half years, said one of his earliest interventions was widespread enlightenment on the roles and responsibilities of Community Development Associations (CDAs) and the CDC, noting that poor understanding previously weakened community participation.
“Before now, many residents did not understand what CDAs stood for. Community leadership was almost treated as a family affair,” he said. “We changed that narrative through education and structured engagement.”
He explained that upon assuming office, the CDC dissolved existing Landlords’ and Tenants’ Associations across the 317 streets in the local government and introduced a supervised electoral process in collaboration with CDAs. According to him, the exercise achieved about 85 per cent success, with many associations transitioning into properly constituted CDAs.
“This process strengthened accountability and ownership,” Sanni said, adding that communities now initiate self-help projects instead of relying solely on government intervention.
On project sustainability, he noted that communities now serve as custodians of government projects located in their areas, ensuring proper use and maintenance to attract further investment.
Sanni also highlighted improved security collaboration, stating that as a member of the Local Government Peace and Security Committee, the CDC maintains regular liaison with security agencies. He said the partnership contributed to a significant reduction in crime, particularly during the last festive season.
In addition, the CDC successfully organised Community Day celebrations in 2024 and 2025, which he described as platforms for civic education, capacity building, and networking. During the 2025 edition, the CDC distributed N20,000 each to 50 vulnerable persons selected from the 51 recognised CDAs in the local government.
A major institutional milestone, according to Sanni, was the formal documentation, recognition, and gazetting of all 51 CDAs in Ajeromi-Ifelodun by the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
“Our CDAs now have legal identity and state recognition. That achievement will endure beyond our tenure,” he said.
Sanni further explained that the CDC maintains a structured monitoring and evaluation framework for all Community Development Associations in the local government, with the CDC serving as the parent body to the 51 recognised CDAs.
According to him, the CDC chairman and secretary are active members of the platforms of all CDAs, a strategy that enables constant engagement, oversight, and firsthand assessment of their activities. He said CDC officials regularly attend CDA meetings and carry out unscheduled visits to communities to objectively evaluate performance and impact.
This monitoring process, he noted, formed the basis for the annual assessment and recognition of outstanding CDAs. Sanni disclosed that Trinity Community Development Association emerged as the Best CDA in 2025, an achievement he said has further spurred healthy competition among community groups.
He explained that in a bid to retain its top position, Trinity CDA has continued to scale up its interventions, recently facilitating a Lagos State–supported Wi-Fi connectivity improvement project within its neighbourhood. According to Sanni, the association is currently installing modern communication equipment to ensure enhanced internet access for residents.
“This single initiative has raised the bar,” he said, noting that the development has motivated other CDAs across the local government to intensify their activities and improve service delivery in a quest to attain similar recognition.
Sanni added that the growing competitive spirit among CDAs has translated into better community participation, innovation, and performance, ultimately strengthening grassroots development and governance across Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government.
Sanni concluded that the strengthened community structure in Ajeromi-Ifelodun has positioned residents as true stakeholders in governance, fostering peace, accountability, and sustainable development at the grassroots level.
