The Indigene of Oworo, under the auspices of Oworo West Progressive Forum (OWPF), on Saturday called for creation of Oworo West Local Government Council out of Lokoja council area of Kogi.
The OWPF Chairman, who doubled as the Olu Apata, Oba Fredrick Balogun, made the demand at the forum’s maiden stakeholders’ meeting held in Lokoja.
A committee, which has the Lokoja council chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu, as member, had made a presentation for the creation of two LGAs from the area before the Constitution Review Committee in Jos on July 6.
The committee was said to have proposed the creation of Oworo Central and East LGAs out of the local government council for the overall development of Oworo land.
“I stand nere today as true ambassador of Oworo West with boldness and enthusiastic determination to ensure that the immeasurable purpose of our existence is achieved,” Balogun said.
He described Oworo West as a strong economic hub of Lokoja local government area and Kogi state at large which should have a local government of its own.
He said there are nine communities that make up the forum, including Apata Ipatun Oworo, Obajana Ipatun Oworo, Emu Oworo, Jakura Oworo, Ogbabon Oworo, Tajimi Oworo, Oshokoshoko Oworo, Qyo/lwaa Oworo and Amogbe-Iwaa Oworo.
The chairman said that the forum served as a vehicle to drive the interest of the constituent communities toward their socio-economic growth as well as initiate, facilitate, provide and promote their security and social development.
“We appreciate the efforts of the committee members who worked relentlessly on the proposal for the creation of the two local government areas from a ward,” he said.
The traditional ruler said that the forum’s call was because it was not clear about the two proposed local government areas – Kuroko, with its headquarters in Karara and Oworo, with its headquarters in Agbaja.
“Where is the status of Oworo West? Is it that the region is no longer in Oworo? Or the communities may likely be allocated to the two proposed areaa.
“Oworo West is not carried along in the process. And we all know that it has all it takes to be a local government area.
“The region is sufficient in human and natural resources. And if voting strength is to be considered, it has 18 polling units out of the 45 polling units in Oworo land.
“There is no option left for us than to call this stakeholders’ meeting for clarifications and to formally present our request for consideration, as part of the proposed local government areas in the present Oworo ward in Lokoja LGA,” he said.
In his remarks, the Speaker of Kogi House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Umar Yusuf, commended the forum for calling for the stakeholders’ meeting toward resolving the issue.
Yusuf assured that the observation of the forum would be addressed and corrected for the benefit of all.
“It was just lack of adequate information, but now that everybody is on the same page, the important observation that has been raised will be addressed by God’s grace,” he said.
In his response, Chairman of Lokoja local government, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu, said that the choice of the proposed Oworo Central and Oworo East LGAs as well as their respective headquarters were arrived at based on some criteria outlined by the drafting committee.
“It was not a deliberate attempt not to give Oworo West an LGA,” he said.
Adamu, who hails from Oworo East, stressed that the proposed creation of Oworo Central and Oworo East LGAs was not deliberate, but for the development of Oworo land.
He maintained that Oworo West, being host to Obajana Cement Factory and other mineral resources, and with its overwhelming population, would never be sidelined.
Adam assured that the observations raised would be looked into by relevant stakeholders’ and that necessary thing would done for the progress of Oworo land.
In his remarks, the Olu of Oworo and paramount ruler of Oworo land, Mallam Muhammed Baiyerohi, appealed to all stakeholders’ to ensure that the right thing was done toward ensuring the development of the area.
