Residents of Idah, the headquarters of Idah Local Government Area in Kogi State, have drawn the attention of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and his deputy, Salifu Joel Oyibo, to the deplorable state of the Idah township roads. The residents lament that the contractor has virtually abandoned the project and disappeared from the site, leaving residents facing untold hardship and increased dangers.
According to a petition signed by the Idah-based group known as the Ane-Igala Socio Cultural Development Association (AISCDA), led by Chief Akwu Umar Goodman, the people of Idah wish to bring to the governor's urgent attention the deeply unsatisfactory state of the ongoing Idah Township Road Construction Project. The petitioners stated that it is both disheartening and unacceptable that the contractor handling this critical infrastructure project has demonstrated gross incompetence and abandoned the site.
The petition further noted that even more troubling are credible concerns that some engineers and technical officers assigned to supervise the work have compromised standards and deviated from approved specifications. A project that was awarded nearly a year ago has, sadly, remained in the same condition as the day the governor flagged off its construction in July of the previous year. There is little to show for the time, resources, and taxpayers' money invested so far.
The group described the situation as not only disappointing but also a disservice to the good people of Idah and Kogi State at large. They stated that the host and beneficiary community can no longer stand by and watch this level of inefficiency and apparent neglect. The petitioners respectfully called on the Kogi State Government to immediately terminate the contract due to non-performance.
Additionally, they demanded that the contractor be compelled to resume work immediately or that the contract be re-awarded to a more competent and capable contractor with a proven track record of efficiency and capacity. They also called for the deployment of an independent team of engineers to the site to verify these claims and assess the current state of work.
The petitioners further expressed the expectation that the Deputy Governor, being a son of the constituency, should take a more active and supervisory role in ensuring that this project is delivered efficiently and to standard. Given that Idah is the seat of the revered Ata Igala, it is only proper that development projects within the kingdom reflect dignity, quality, and timely execution.
The group expressed trust in the governor's leadership and urged him to take swift and decisive action to address the matter in the interest of the people.
