The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Aliyu Umar Yusuf has developed a template for the development of the largely rural areas of Lokoja II which is his constituency.
The Speaker stated this in a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Yabagi Mohammed and made available to journalists in Lokoja.
According to the statement, Rt. Hon Yusuf gave the hint when he granted audience to the Kakanda socio-cultural association, Monimo Foundation in Lokoja.
The speaker said he is conscious of his place of origin and the peculiar challenges confronting his constituents and mentioned the problem of inadequate healthcare professionals in the hinterlands of Lokoja Local Government.
For that reason, Rt. Yusuf said he has concluded arrangements that would see selected students being sponsored to Kogi State College of Health Sciences in Idah and the State School of Nursing in Obanagede by his office.
The Speaker, who represents Lokoja II state constituency also promised to use his office to ensure the construction of the rural roads in the area, and particularly mentioned the road that connects the state capital and Kakanda Kingdom as well as other parts of the area.
He also promised that, in addition to his numerous empowerment programmes for groups and individuals, use his office to also facilitate employment opportunities when they are available for the people of his constituency.
Rt. Hon Yusuf who used the occasion to express his gratitude to the people of Lokoja II in general and Kakanda Land in particular said some of his kinsmen sold off their farm produce and other assets to be able to support his cause financially when he was contesting for the Assembly seat.
He also acknowledged the sleeplessness and efforts of the traditional rulers towards ensuring his success, and promised not to let them down as long as he occupies the speakership position in Kogi State.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman of Board of Trustees of Monimo Foundation, Alhaji Usman Adalla Abdulkadir said they were in the speaker’s office to felicitate him on his emergence as the number three citizen in Kogi State Leadership Hierarchy.
He described the speaker as a humble, intelligent, focused and dedicated leader even before venturing into the elective post, and charged him on the need to attract development to Kakanda Land and the State in general.
He appealed to Rt. Hon Yusuf to use his influence to ensure the construction of access roads in Kakanda Land, upgrade the traditional stools as it is long overdue and stressed the need to provide employment and appointment opportunities for their teeming educated and intelligent youths.
He also pleaded with the speaker to assist in the provision of scholarship to enable indigent students to have access to education.
Other speakers at the event which includes the coordinator of the foundation for Kogi and Kwara States, Aminu Isa, expressed happiness over the emergence of the speaker, stating that he is the first to achieve such elective political height in the entire Kakanda Land.