*OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO ON THE TERRIBLE STATE OF THE IJOWA-EJUKU- JEGE- IFE-OLUKOTUN ROAD.*
*By Fanisi Temitope Babatunde (GCFR)*
2nd August 2020.
H.E Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello, The Leader of Our Great Party and Father of our beloved State.
I bring you good tidings on behalf of the good people of Oke-Oyi in Yagba East local Government while also congratulating you on your resounding Victory at the November 2019 Guber elections and subsequent Victory at the Tribunals and the appeal Court and we also pray for your Anticipated Success in the Judgement in waiting which will favour you by the special Grace of God.
Y.E Sir, this open letter is also to draw ur attention to the plight of the people of Oke-Oyi which happens to accommodate about 6 political wards where the APC performed credibly well in the last Guber polls.
Y.E Sir, the only major road leading to this Zone from isanlu is in a sorry and terrible state as it takes thrice longer than expected in distance and collosal damage to vehicles to get to this Axis.
Ironically Sir, this very road was flagged off at the inception of your first term in office, contractors mobilized to site for Asphalting procedures to be carried out and Minimal construction works carried out Only for contractors to Vanish technically out of the site and finally left the road after less than 3 Kilometres of Asphalt works.
Judging from when this road Reconstruction was started and the Quality of work done initially, One would know that the people’s Governor has a very deep passion and clear intentions for the people of Oke-Oyi in yagba east LGA.
Y.E Sir, the economic signifance of this road can best be described as a route to Dubai, a Business/Holiday Hub as farmers, artisans and traders rely solely on this road to travel down from the Oke-Oyi Axis down to isanlu where lies a bigger market to buy thier goods in wholesale while farmers also depends on this route to travel down thier Farm products to a more larger consumer at an improved price.
Seeing this road in the terrible condition it is and abandoned calls for great concern as the road in Question was constructed by the Government of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris of the PDP but construction works poorly implemented which later resulted in the failure of all portions of the road.
Not forgetting your Execellency Sir that at many points in time has several private individuals done some paliative works on this road ranging from the Congressman/ Member representing the good people of Yagba federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon (Elder) Leke Abejidi and Business Magnate Alhaji Afobaje who recently constructed a culvert bridge to ease the flow of water on a spot being troubled by water.
Y.E Sir, I am also curious to know why this road was abandoned even after starting well with a very high Quality Standard Asphalt works.
Our Father and leader, I will want you to know today that you are sincerely loved by the good people of South east Oke-Oyi and Money has never been our motive for voting you Particularly if not for anything but for your Appointment of Our own Mother, Sister and Daughter as the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State, a position reserved for highly intellectual and cerebral personalities who has the capacity to provide neccesary absorber to the administrative aspect of Governance Amongst several other top government positions and Boards of parastatals.
Y.E Sir, we are all witnesses to the giant strides you have achieved in the areas of road infrastructures in all other zones of Kogi state like the Kogi East and kogi central. We also appreciate your sitting of Omi Rice Mill, A Massive Multi million Dollar Project in Our beloved Federal Constituency.
However sir, One of the core catalyst of Developement of a certain area is either Motorable roads and Power for industrial Development. In the case of the rural areas, it is road.
Y.E Sir, we have seen roads constructed in kogi East and kogi central and I must say they are of high Quality Standards with Systemic Erosion Controls in areas where needed and we the people of Oke-Oyi are in high spirit and hopes that soonest we shall join the league of those with roads that were constructed by the GYB led Administration.
Y.E Sir, This Very Ijowa-Ejuku-Jege-Ife-Olukotun road is the Major road Linking some parts of Kogi State to Ekiti and happens to be the most important road in yagba east LGA as it serves over 10 Autonomous communities with Respected traditional kingdoms.
Y.E, the Reconstruction and Asphalting of this road will further Galvanize and hasten the speed of development of the zone and further reduce the burden of Steming down poverty solely on the shoulder of the government as more Businesses will spring up, rural markets will be expanded while farmers can access a larger market to see thier farm ouputs at an improved and competitive prices.
All this will in turn reduce poverty, increase GDP and also contribute positively to the Ease of doing business in that Axis.
Y.E Sir, We Also understand that the state has a lean purse going by the prevailing economic situation all over the world due the Covid 19 Pandemic Ravaging the world .
We also know that the state IGR has been negatively affected by the Effect of the Covid 19 pandemic that shook the world to it’s base which has really Affected the gross productivity of the state in the areas of infrastructural development.
Y.E Sir, Our Greatest Joy will be to see this road reconstructed, Asphalted and Commissioned in your own time as you have overtime shown Compassion and Traits of Purposeful leadership since your coming on board as the State’s Chief Executive officer.
I wish you all the best sir in your Quest to provide the leadership we all strive to have as a people.
Thank You and God bless sir.
_Phanisy an APC Stalwart and Passionate GYBIST writes from Jege (Ward 06)._
Oke-Oyi (Yagba East LGA).