By Ojima-ojo Abubakar Yunusa
A political support group, the Ododo/Halims Progressive Movement, has intensified calls for the re-election of the Deputy Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali Halims, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group said returning Halims to the National Assembly would increase the chances of actualising the proposed Federal Forest Guards Institute in Ankpa, describing the project as a major intervention capable of addressing insecurity, unemployment and underdevelopment in Kogi East.
In a statement issued by its media team, the group argued that the proposed institute would strengthen security operations across forests in Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro local government areas, which have in recent years faced security challenges linked to kidnappers and criminal gangs.
According to the group, the institution would train thousands of forest guards and establish a permanent security structure to protect farming communities, commuters and residents.
It stated that the project would also create employment opportunities for youths through direct recruitment of instructors, administrative personnel, medical workers and cadets, while stimulating economic activities for traders, transport operators, food vendors and other small businesses.
The group further noted that the bill establishing the institute provides for a significant admission quota for indigenes of Kogi East, a development it said could improve access to federal employment opportunities for young people in the area.
It added that the siting of a federal institution in Ankpa would attract infrastructure development, including improved roads, electricity, water supply and healthcare services.
The statement also highlighted the environmental benefits of the proposed institute, saying trained forest guards would help enforce forestry laws, curb illegal logging and protect farmlands from environmental degradation.
Making a case for Halims’ re-election, the group said his current position as Deputy Majority Leader places him in a strategic position to drive the legislative process needed to secure approval and funding for the project.
It also pointed to his previous legislative interventions, including efforts towards the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Ankpa and motions relating to agricultural development and road infrastructure.
The group warned that a change in representation could slow down or jeopardise the progress of the proposed institute, stressing that continuity would be necessary to move the project from the legislative stage to implementation.
It therefore urged constituents in Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro Federal Constituency to support Halims’ return to the House of Representatives in 2027, maintaining that the proposed Federal Forest Guards Institute has the potential to transform the socio-economic landscape of Kogi East.
