From Sunny Idachaba, Abuja
The Obagu community in Kogi State is calling for assistance from the government and well-widers to complete a crucial road project linking Ugwolawo, the local government headquarters, to their community.
The community had started the 10km road project through self-help, taxing every son and daughter N20,000 towards the effort, but funds have run out.
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Professor Samuel Odoma, National President of Obagu Community Development Association (OCDA), appealed to Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo, lawmakers from Kogi-East at the National and state assembly and philanthropists, to support the project and rally round them in order to complete the 10 kilometres road from Ugwolawo to Obagu.
According to Prof. Odoma, who is the Dean Faculty of Social Sciences at Bingham University in Abuja, noted that: “This call has become necessary because we have exhausted our resources. Obagu is the closest community to Ugwolawo, but seemingly inaccessible due to bad road.
“Aside this road project, we are doing, the primary school building which is in a dilapidated state and there is no potable water in the community as we speak.
“We are appealing to the state government, especially Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Deputy Governor, Comrade Joel Salihu, Senator Jibrin Echocho, representing Kogi-East Senatorial District, our lawmakers in the state assembly to come to our aid in order to see to the completion of this road project.
“Before we got to where we are, every son and daughter of Obagu was taxed a certain amount towards it. Graciously, our representative in the National Assembly, Honourable David Zacharia, also assisted us, but so far, the fund has been exhausted. At the moment, we are just half way to completing the project before the rainy season sets in.”
In the company of othe community leaders like Peter Opaluwa, Elder Emmanuel Adama, the community leader, said the road project is long over-due, but noted that, “unfortunately, past political office seekers merely used the road to seek for votes, but after every election, they turn their backs on the community.
“That is why we have decided to start the project through community effort so that the government can see our seriousness.”
It would be recalled that during Obagu Day celebration for 2024, every son and daughter of the community was mandated to contribute the sum of N20,000 towards the project.
“It was the amount realised including the donation from from Hon. Zacharias that has been used so far.
The community is one of the major agricultural belt of the Local Government close to the council headquarters in Ugwolawo.”
