By Mohammed Salihu

KAIAMA

It is important to note that the town-hall meeting in Kaiama Local Government came up after that of Edu LG, that is; preceding that of Moro Local Government, but the choice of the author to present it according to federal constituencies made it possible for Moro to be combined with its co-local governments; Patigi and Edu local governments respectively in the first part earlier published.

Hence, with Edu Local Government concluded, the next destination for Senator Sadiq was Kaiama, his home Local Government. In Kaiama, the Senator and his team established the first protocol by visiting the Emir of Kaiama, His Royal Highness Alhaji Omar Mua’azu. When briefed about the Senator’s mission in town, the Emir as usual, won’t let any opportunity passed without mentioning the major roads that criss-crossed his domain; Kaiama-Wawa, Kaiama-Bode Saadu, Kaiama-Kisi and Kaiama-Kosubosu, he once again used the opportunity to emphasized and appeal for intervention on the roads which are seriously begging for attention from successive administrations but to no avail.

Leaving the Emir’s reception parlour, they moved straight for the main event of the day; the town-hall meeting, which took place within the vicinity of the palace, where opinions leaders and members of the community spoke on the challenges they feel the Senator or the government should intervene as their shares of dividend of democracy.

In no order of priorities, they appealed for employment and empowerment for the youth and women of the local government in order to reduce insecurity and poverty. Just like the Emir said, the issue of roads also surfaced, the major, township and feeder roads were also re-emphasized.

The people also drew the attention of the Senator on the need to modernize the Kaiama Central Market which is one of the major sources of revenue for the local government. Moreover, one of speakers on behalf of the people also requested for the presence a federal higher institution, facilitation of a relevant industry, trade and investment opportunities to attract development to the local government, most especially now tha the Senator is the Chairman Senate Committee on Trade and Investment.

Additionally, they raised the issue of security challenges, the need for a subsidized means of transport for patients on emergency referrals to hospitals in the state capital, improved power supply, intervention in the areas of agriculture such as provision of loan, grant and farm inputs, educational assistant to the indigent girl child, request for more political appointments both at the state and national level and lastly which also appeared to be on a lighter note was a call on His Excellency Mallam AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq to visit the local government for a feel what the people are going through regarding Kaiama-Kisi road.

BARUTEN

The commencement of Baruten version of the tour which happened to be the last, was not much different from the usual protocols that usually precedes the town-hall meetings whenever the Senator arrives any parts of his constituency during the tour.

The town-hall meeting took place at the community town-hall in Okuta, one of the district headquarters of the local government. Delegated speakers selected across the eleven wards took turns to speak regarding the plights of their various wards. One of the speakers started with a request for a motorable road from Shiya to Kparulu, employment for the teeming idle youths, Okuta market road, completion of Okuta town-hall, Kenu-Taberu road, rehabilitation of Shinawu secondary school, construction of Ilesha-Baruba bypass road, provision of solar/electricity at the cottage hospital at Ilesha-Baruba, rehabilitation of classrooms at Bode Bababna and provision of ICT centre.

Other needs demanded by the people according to another speaker were; skills acquisition centre in Gwanara for the youth, construction of bridges and culverts to connect their villages in hinterlands of the local government, establishment of Cashew Processing industry, security challenges, request for loan/grants and farm inputs for farmers and grant/empowerment for women and facilitation of a financial institution/commercial bank to enhance business activities were among other things requested on behalf of the people Baruten local government.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At all the local governments, Senator Sadiq’s responses at the town-hall meetings were very simple and succinct. First, he made it clear to the people that, he had listened carefully and noted their messages. Secondly, he emphasized and made the people understand that all that they requested were in reality and, in all honesty beyond what he alone could accomplish, noting that some were obviously outside his jurisdiction as a legislature. Senator Sadiq also complemented the events with token gifts of generator sets, refrigerators, motorcycles, water pumping machines among others to each of the five local as a part of his appreciation for the people supports.

Therefore, he will accordingly escalate the various requests to his colleagues in other positions of authority both in the executive and legislative capacities; like their leader His Excellency Mallam Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, Ministers of the Federal Republic (even though Kwara State had one as of the time of the tour), the House of Representative of the two Federal constituencies in the senatorial district of which coincidentally the Honourable Member representing Edu/Moro/Patigi, Hon. Ahmed Adamu Saba was part of the tour at his Federal Constituency.

He added that the House of Assembly Members of the various local governments across Kwara North and the five local govenrment Chairmen will be duly informed, while on his part, he will do all that is within his power to attend to some of the requests that are within his purview, more so for those that require collaboration will be treated as such.