An Address to Federal Executive Council (FEC) under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari; Governor Yahaya Bello, Minister Babatunde Fashola, Senator Smart Adeyemi, and Hon. Leke Abejide.
It is no more news that the Federal Executive Council, during its meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, 24th of June approved ₦25.352 billion for the commencement of civil works on Iluke-Suku-Aiyetoro Kiri-Abugi-Eggon road in Kogi West Senatorial District.
In as much as this is applaudable, all of us in Voice of Mopamuro Youths (VOMY) on behalf of the whole of Yagba Land in Kogi State, and our counterparts in Kwara State express our disaffection over the perceived abandonment and deliberate neglect of the 48 years old 80 kilometers Aiyetoro-Mopamuro-Isanlu-Egbe-Omu Aran-Ilorin road in same Kogi West.
The road was first constructed in 1972, and partially rehabilitated by defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) in 1991.
The plight of this road and its users is not unknown to all Leaderships of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) from the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999 till date; due to how backward the deplorable State of the road as subjected it supposed beneficiaries, users and communities to.
The deplorable State of the road has led to relatively shutdown of Economic activities, claiming of lives due to accidents, high way robbery, kidnapping etc.. within these parts of Kogi and Kwara States.
It is also a slap on our face in Kogi, Kwara and Nigeria as a whole, that this road which links several villages and communities has been approved for reconstruction and rehabilitation by different administrations of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during different FEC meetings multiple times.
It was approved in 2013 by the President Goodluck Jonathan led administration for ₦13.541 billion and flagged off by former Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen in 2014; and then in November 2018, it was approved by the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari administration, towards the end of his first time in office for ₦57.56 billion.
While a smaller portion of it was reconstructed from Kabba to Aiyetoro Gbede in 2014, equipments and workers has never been mobilised to the site from then till date, despite all FEC approvals and announcements.
How then are we sure that the recently approved ₦25.352 billion for the Iluke-Suku-Aiyetoro Kiri-Abugi-Eggon road will translate into reconstruction and rehabilitation of the said road.
These are our questions to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari led administration and Minister for Works and Housing, His Excellency, Babatunde Fashola:
° Why are we being neglected and abandoned over the said road, despite all of the disadvantages bedevelling us?
° Why have FEC approved funds for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the said road a couple of times and contractors never moved to site?
We are also using this avenue to plead with all stakeholders in the business of a better Kogi/Kwara States and Nigeria by extension to join us in this quest to put an end to the long suffering of the people over the said road.
We also plead with Governor Yahaya Bello, Senator Smart Adeyemi CON, Hon. Leke Abejide and their Kwara State counterparts to join efforts and explore their respective and collective relationships with the Federal Government to put a solution to this collective problem of ours.
Signed:
Julius Olushola Abel,
Leader, VOMY.
