A Non-Governmental organization, Participation Initiative for Behavioral Change in Development, (PIBCID) has called on the Kogi State Government to as a matter of urgency look into the plight of the people of Agbaja in Oworo under Lokoja Local Government by constructing roads post eteachers to schools and resuscitate Agbaja Cottage hospital in a bid to attract development to the agrarian community.
This forms part of the communique issued at the end of PIBCID advocacy visit to Agbaja, Headquarter of Oworo land which was jointly signed by the Acting Executive Director of PIBCID, Mrs Racheal Akande and HRH Abubakar Isa Alugbere, the Maasi of Agbaja
in which a copy was made available to newsmen on Thursday.
The Communique noted that the advocacy visit was aimed at providing an interactive platform with the Traditional Council, Community members, and the Media to chat a way forward on the deplorable state of Felele Oworo roads, poor Educational and healthcare facilities and services in Oworo Kingdom, and propose relevant recommendations to the Kogi State Government.
The organization observed that Oworo/Agbaja Road over two decades has reflected in Kogi State budget and also has been awarded severally by the State government but there is no effect to the implementation of the awarded contract.
According to the communique, the Kogi State Government has not complemented the efforts of some private organization that have been supporting the Kingdom in the area of social amenities.
Continuing, the organization observed that “Over decades, Government presence has not been felt in the communities. Despite the effort of Agbaja Kingdom to build a Police outpost, the Nigeria Police is yet to deploy any of its personnel’s to Agbaja as the lives and properties of the people is under serious threat over the growing insecurity in the Country.
” The state of education in Agbaja and the entire Oworo land is in a bad state. The structures in Universal Basic Education, (UBE), Government Secondary School areall in a dilapidated state and lacks sufficient teachers. Intheir Primary School, and UBE for instance, has just oneteacher from JSS one to JSS three while Government Secondary School Agbaja four Teachers from JSS I to SS3 with two none academic staff.
“The Cottage Hospital built by the State Government is not just only in a dilapidated form but has been abandoned despite the presence of over 30 health workers on the pay roll of the Kogi State Government.
” Oworo communities has recorded high rate of mortalities due to poor health facilities and the non-functionality of Agbaja Cottage Hospital. There is no suitable water for community consumption”.
They however admonished the Kogi State Government to ensure that Contractors of the awarded roads should return to site adding that, there is need for Government should complement the efforts of KCM towards providing social amenities to Oworo Kingdom (Road, Water & Education).
” Government should make available it presence in the community as they should support the people with laudable project to develop Oworo Kingdom and attract investors.
“There is urgent need for the State Government to direct the Kogi State Commissioner of Police to deploy Police Officers to Oworo land for the security of lives and properties of the People. Government should deploy teachers to Primary, UBE and Government Secondary Schools in Oworo Land so that they can compete with other student across the globe.
” There is urgent need for government to renovate the Cottage Hospital before it will collapse. The Government should compel all the staff of the Cottage Hospital to return back to their duty post. There is need for elected representatives to build constituency offices and call for at list quarterly town hall meeting to discuss matters arising that affect Oworo land. The Government should make provision for suitable water system for the people of Oworo land”.
It was however, gathered that, the advocacy visit had in attendance participants from Agbaja Traditional Council, Community members, PIBCID staff and the Media.