According to research, Dekina Local Government Area is the largest Local Government Area in West African in terms of land mass and the third largest in Nigeria after Ibadan and Alimosho Local Government Areas in terms of population. It covers {2,461M2 and 950 sq M} with over 260,312 people according to 2006 population census.
It is worthy of note that between 2006 and now the human population may have increased significantly, thereby increasing infrastructural and human developmental demands. Thus bringing us to the plight of a member representing Dekina/Biraidu constituency in Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Moses Idoko Ododo (Deputy Chief Whip), elected under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress {APC} in 2015. As one of the funder and financier of the party he secured a second term victory in the just concluded elections “Tagged Ododo Season 2” to continue his good works for the people of his immediate constituency.
However, no politician has been able to achieve this feet of second term victory in the history of Dekina/Biradu State constituency since the creation of Kogi State in August, 1991 and the return to democracy in the year 1999.
Consequently, with the above growing population and land mass, we can boldly compare the state constituency with some senatorial districts in Nigeria, the entire Bayelsa State with (8) Local Government Areas is not up to Kogi East with (9) local Government areas in the area of both population and land mass. It is on records and in reality that Dekina LGA is the giant of the nine Local Governments in Kogi east.
The man Hon. Moses Ododo was able to galvanize support in all the eight wards of the constituency. Despite the elephant nature of his constituency, he has been able to attract infrastructures to the area from sinking of boreholes in over (15) communities to rehabilitation of Churches and Mosques as well as payment of WAEC and NECO fees for the best students of about (32) Secondary Schools in the constituency. He has also given attention to Primary Health Care Centers in the area to improve health care delivery for his people.
Interestingly, his bills and motions are live touching some which include:
- The motion for the electrification of some communities in Iyale, Abocho, Odu, Emewe and Biraidu wards;
- The motion calling on Kogi State government to mobilize security personals to Oganenigu, Ojuwo-ajomaigbi and Ebeje communities to bring to an end the Farmers/Herders crises in the troubled areas;
- The motion calling on the State government to simultaneously pay workers while the screening last;
- The motion calling on the state government to mobilize contractors back to site to complete the construction of Dekina township road, among others.
Apart from the above achievements, he also embacked on stomach infrastructures’ carried out in the area as his home and hotel room is like a ground for pilgrimage as a result of the economic situation of the country due to fall in crude oil prices at the international market. Also, politics of “Omawede” {Oga na your pikin} “Boss this is your son’ is taking another dimension, even with above goodwill many areas in Dekina/Biraidu are still yearning for government attention due to the large nature of it.
It is in view of the above, that I am calling on all relevant agencies, Kogi State government, Honourable Speaker of the current 7th Kogi State House of Assembly to grant Dekina/Biraidu state constituency a special status among communities of Local Governments in Nigeria.
– Peter Joseph Omojo is a Public Affairs Commentator and a member of the All Progressives Congress.
08075895552.
