The senatorial candidate of National Rescue Movement (NRM) for Kogi East, Isaiah Davis (ID) Ijele, has promised to fight injustices against Igala and Bassa lands.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, ID Ijele said the stalled Idah sea port and non-consideration of Kogi East for railway lines are some of the injustices the people had lived with for years.
“There is no railway line passing through any part of Igala/Bassa land! This is an injustice considering what the region produces in minerals and agricultural resources. We shall bring the federal government’s attention to all our problems.
“We have water bodies everywhere in Igala land and Kogi State. The actualization of the construction of a Sea Port at Idah was touted in the past but abandoned. The dredging of River Niger and River Benue which was flag-off and started under President Musa Yaradua on the 10th of September, 2012 was
thwarted by Jonathan led administration as a result of our political ineptitude to lobby the continuity of the project shall be revisited for implementation. Our senators from Kogi State were sleeping, I guess. Power must change hands. This project will be a cardinal point agenda. We will pursue this to a logical conclusion. Kogi East need this project,” he pledged.
If elected, he promised to lobby and push to open up Kogi East by bringing federal government attention to our abandoned Toto – Bagana- Idah- federal roads.
“Our farmers, small scale business men and women will be back to life. It will create over a million jobs. We will pursue this cause as well to a logical conclusion.”
ID Ijele promised to upscale the cashew subsector of Kogi East economy.
He said the Kogi East contribute 60 percent of Nigeria’s annual cashew export, hence the need to harness the market for the benefit of the people and region.
“We shall be consulting with the farmers, their association and the foreigners coming to buy the products. We are going to strike a balance so everyone will be happy at the end of the day. Our people will be provided with improved cashew seedlings. An independent committee that will visit the countries we are exporting cashew to will be set up to study the value of the cashew been taken from here and help us with better deals.
“Other untapped use of cashew will be unveiled. Kogi East control 60% of cashew export from Nigeria, something drastic must be done about this subject matter. Development of value chains for cash crops like cashew and cassava needs a special federal government’s attention. We shall get the Job
done,” he said.
