The Kogi State House of Assembly has appealed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to urgently rehabilitate the Idah-Onyedega road in Ibaji Local Government Area of the State.
The lawmakers made the appeal during the house plenary on Wednesday in Lokoja.
In a matter of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Ibaji State Constituency, Comfort Ojoma Nwuchiola, she lamented that the Idah-Onyedega road has become a death trap for citizens of the country.
According to the lawmaker, “It will interest the House to note that one of the devastating consequences of the flooding of Rivers Niger and Benue in 2012 and again in 2022 is the destruction of Idah —Onyedega Road in Ibaji Local Government Area of our dear State.
” It is on record that many parts of the state were ravaged, tens of thousands of our people rendered homeless, properties, farmlands and infrastructure hugely destroyed. Our experiences in Ibaji are not better. We suffered the highest from the overflowing Rivers Niger and Benue. The entire Local Government was submerged.
“The House should further note that the aftermath of the last two deluges, particularly as they affect access to Onyedega, the Local Government Headquarters and other villages within Ibaji, has been devastating.
” The State Government intervened with relief materials and utilitarian amenities, rehabilitation of a number of infrastructures in support of the Local Government Area. What is required now is to reconstruct Idah-Onyedega Road and other access roads linking other communities within and outside the Local Government Area.
” The urgent need of my constituents as people affected by the ruins and misfortune of overflowing rivers is access to their Local Government Headquarters, to their respective homes. This lack of access to good roads remains the only scar of the ravages and the healing moment in their collective lives. Rehabilitation of the existing bypass to Onyedega, the headquarters of the Local Government Area will therefore be the all-time solution to the most intractable problem of Ibaji Local Government Area”.
“The house should take cognisance of the fact that the said road is badly damaged, cut off at intervals in most cases into two. The entire stretch of the road requires filling and grading for proper reconstruction”
She admonished the State Government to map out engineering work and redesign as well as construct the road with bridges where necessary as a lasting solution.
Seconding the motion, the member representing Dekina/Okura and Former Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Enema Paul described the situation in Ibaji Local Government as pathetic.
In his contributions, the member representing Ajaokuta State Constituency Abu Onoru-Oiza Jibrin said Ibaji Local Government can not be neglected as they are contributing immensely to the economic growth of Nigeria.
His words “Ibaji Local Government Area can not be hidden in the map because it has become a main stake in Nigeria’s economy because of the crude oil. Mr speaker, travelling to Ibaji is like sentencing your enemy to 21 years in prison. The nature of the road in Ibaji has increased transportation and insecurity.
” Many people, especially pregnant women, have lost their lives due to the bad nature of the road. Many pregnant women do not have access to medical facilities as they die on the way before reaching the nearest hospital. We don’t want Ibaji Local Government to join the list of communities crying for development despite the fact that they deserve the 13 percent derivation for producing oil in Nigeria. It is on this note, that we are all appealing to the Kogi State Government to treat this matter with urgent seriousness”.
Lending his voice, the lawmaker representing Bassa State Constituency, Sunday Daku lamented that his local government is also faced with a bad road network which has affected the socioeconomic development of his people.
” While I appreciate the effort of the State Government for the construction of a bridge in my constituency, I still want them to note that there is no good road in Bassa Local Government. Because of the bad road network across the local government, it has become a breeding ground for hoodlums to carry out their nefarious activities” he stated.
In his ruling, the Speaker, Aliyu Umar Yusuf acknowledged that the Ibaji road is always flooded annually, adding that the contributions of the local government to the national economy can not be overemphasized.
The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House to convey the resolution of the Assembly to the Executive arm of Government.
