2024-09-26 01:56:36
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With the aim of bringing together all the people of Tolo and promoting its economic and social development, the Association for the Development of Tolo (ADT) held a meeting last Saturday, September 21, in Kipé to discuss the forum.
Around this first forum which will be held in two days, the sons and daughters of Tolo intend to attract the attention of the government, of potential technical and financial partners to get involved in the development of this sub-prefecture of Mamou, located more than 260 km from Conakry.
“Tolo seems to be a forgotten corner of the Republic. And yet, many Guinean executives who have stayed in Tolo, who have passed through Tolo know that the first national school was in Tolo. Many studied there and it is their turn to give back to Tolo. It is in this context that we decided to bring together the nationals of Tolo residing all over the world,” first informed the vice president of the ADT.
And Oumar Diallo continued: “They got together, they created an association for the development of Tolo to organize this forum (FODEST), to attract attention. Tolo is lucky to have five districts that are truly in common agreement. That is to say five districts that are like the five fingers of the hand. That is to say the five fingers. With the five districts there, we can go far. It is with the same hand that we invite investors. It is the same hand that we extend to the government, to all investors to tell them again that Tolo must be discovered and supported. It is a land of cohesion. Elhadj Djouldé, in less than a year, he and his team have succeeded in organizing this forum, in bringing together all the sons and daughters of Tolo. After this forum, we are waiting, we are looking for solutions and perhaps we will find solutions with the investors. We are waiting for solutions, big investments in Tolo, in all areas. So we are waiting for a positive result.”
As for the projects in view, the head of the ADT’s projects emphasized: “We are aiming for an impact on the socio-economic development of Tolo while bringing together the State, development partners, entrepreneurs and other technical and financial partners. We expect, after having presented all the investment assets in Tolo, that they come and invest there, that they support certain development projects initiated and implemented by young people from the sub-prefecture for the happiness of all. So, there are a number of urgent projects in the locality of Tolo, in particular the construction of a number of basic infrastructures, through the road that leads directly to the center and which extends over 6 km. Today, we need this road to be paved.
And also, we need the structure to be supported through the acquisition of a certain number of modern equipment in the field of agriculture, for example. Also, we need the association to benefit from drinking water supply projects for the different districts but also that all districts can have access to electricity and development at the level of these localities, “said the head of training and projects and ADT development, Alpha Oumar Diallo.
To achieve this, the ADT is counting on the support of all Diwés for the collective interest.
“Behind the invitation of the other sub-prefectures, of the diwés, we intend at some point to unite all efforts at the regional level first and the objective is to expand this to a much more national level in order to build together the real milestone of development for the communities,” added the head of training and development projects of the association.
The sponsor of the association Elhadj Ibrahima justifies the support of the association to boost the private sector and community development.
“We supported this project knowing that the opportunities offered by this sub-prefecture are enormous. Our lands are very fertile for the agricultural sector. The National School of Agriculture which produces technicians with the necessary qualifications, the artisanal sector even if we are not the source or the springboard, of the Puuto (cultural Fulani hat), we are currently the largest manufacturer of this hat today that we are seeing to what extent we can ensure that it is a national heritage so that all Guineans recognize themselves in it and can wear it. Once again, it is to support this first edition in order to boost the private sector, community development at the grassroots”, he explained before requesting the support of the government: “we are requesting the State’s help to open up this sub-prefecture. If we take the farmers, they have difficulty transporting their products to the cities because of the lack of infrastructure. So, we are counting on the State to build the Tolo-Porédaka, Bodié-Tougué road. That is our first request. We have the Bafing River which is the source of the Senegal River and which is disappearing due to lack of maintenance and so many others. We are asking for these possible accompanying measures [..] for these days. There are activities related to poetry, theater, to make the public laugh a little and have a little fun.”
This forum, which was held on September 21 and 22, 2024, will serve as a framework for the organization of a Business plan competition where the 3 best projects of interest to the sub-prefecture of Tolo will each benefit from support of up to 15,000,000 Gnf.
May Cissé