Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo (BTO) should be compensated for his contribution towards the development of Akoko land in the last three years with a return ticket to the House of Representatives.
These lines were reechoed during the Youth Summit organized by Coalition of Akoko North Youths (CANY) on Friday.
The Youths in a communiqué signed by the convener, Mr. Ife Ehindero, and the Director General, Thalis Apalowo, observed that traditional institutions in the community must do everything possible to ensure the return of BTO to the green chamber.
Present at the event include the commissioner for woman affairs in Ondo state, Juliana Oshadaun; Member representing Akoko North West State constituency 2, Taofeeq Mohammed; State Youth Leader of APC in Ondo state, Ayo Wisdom; Party leaders.
Representatives of the the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS; representatives of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN; representatives of the National Congress of Akoko Students, NACAS; Various Youth groups within the constituency.
BEING A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE YOUTH SUMMIT ORGANIZED BY COALITION OF AKOKO NORTH YOUTHS (CANY) ON FRIDAY, 22ND OF APRIL 2022.
PREAMBLE
The Coalition of Akoko North Youths (CANY) is a platform that brings together all young leaders and youth focused organisations committed to the development of Akoko North Federal Constituency. CANY, hereafter referred to as “the platform” was birthed to ensure there is a joint effort to reposition our Federal constituency for the benefit of our people.
- The platform convened this youth summit to discuss the state of the nation in general, the noticeable development in our constituency, and the fast approaching 2023 General elections. The summit, themed “Akoko North And The Rebuilding Process: 2023 General Election In Focus” started by 11:23 AM with youth leaders across the towns in the Federal constituency, young leaders from political parties and leaders of youth groups in the constituency.
- Our constituency has, in the past witnessed a fading glory in all aspect. Our economy, once noted for its viability has lost its light. Our roads were no longer motorable and it was getting difficult to transport our farm produce to nearby markets. The cost of productions and service is increasing with the epileptic state of our electricity. Portable water and many other necessities were becoming so hard to come by.
- The issue of youth employment and empowerment, like others stated above was entirely removed from the “to-do list” of our leaders. This led to increase in crimes of varying degrees and the use of young persons as political thugs.
- These are the ills we have been living with for many years and which necessitated the formation of the platform to ensure there is a new direction in the leadership of our people.
OBSERVATIONS:
- Our people have done well by coming out end masse to register for the ongoing Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
- As we approach the 2023 elections, we noticed a reduction in violence as we use to have in the past. We understand this is a result of the massive employment of our youths and the joint effort of all stakeholders.
- The emergence Rep. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo as our Representative at the Green Chamber has brought a lot of solutions to our problems. Many of the rots in our system are receiving life again and notable among his unprecedented interventions include:
a. Convergence of stakeholders to discuss the insecurity in our constituency after which he facilitated patrol vehicles and logistics for the use of the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies in the Constituency. This has considerably helped in stabilizing security in our towns.
b. Facilitation of mobile clinics, tricycle ambulances and medical equipments for Primary Health Care Centers across the federal constituency such as:
(i) Primary Health Clininc Okoja, Ikare Akoko
(ii) Primary Health Clinic, Okeagbe Akoko
(iii) Primary Health Clinic Igasi/Eriti Akoko.
(iv) Primary Health Clinic Oyin Akoko.
(v) Primary Health Clinic Afin Akoko.
(vi) Primary Health Clinic Ikaram/Iyani Akoko.
(vii) Primary Health Clinic Omitowoju, Ogbagi Akoko.
(viii) Primary Health Clinic Akunnu Akoko
(ix) Primary Health Clinic Ise Akoko.
(x) Primary Health Clinic Iboropa Akoko.
(xi) Primary Health Clinic Okegbe, Ikare Akoko.
(xii) Primary Health Clinic, Ishakunmi, Ikare Akoko.
(xiii) Primary Health Clinic Okela, Ikare Akoko.
(xiv) Primary Health Clinic Ugbe Akoko.
(xv) Primary Health Clinic Odo Irun, Irun Akoko.
(xvi) Primary Health Clinic Odiolowo, Arigidi Akoko.
c. Facilitating the reconnection of our communities through regular construction of roads, more than we have witnessed since the advent of democracy in 1999. This has improved the economy of our constituency as we can now easily transport our produce. Some of the roads include:
(i) Owatumise road to Ugbe Akoko
(ii) Oyinmo road in Ikare Akoko
(iii) Akunnu-Ajowa road
(iv) Okeagbe Akoko township Road
(v) Ikaram – Ase Akoko Road
(vi) Irun Akoko township Road
(vii) Arigidi-Okeagbe Akoko road
(viii)Afin-Okeagbe Akoko Road
(ix) Ogbagi Akoko township Road.
(x) Sabo Ugbe – Olokun Arigidi Akoko road
(xi) Omulu – Ofamata road Ugbe Akoko
(xii)Police Station junction Ugbe Akoko – Secretariat Ikare Akoko road
(xiii) Aunty Bisi – Gbopan Road Ugbe Akoko
(xiv) Alhaja Memunatu street road Ugbe Akoko
(xv) Oando – Wura Ola street road Ugbe Akoko.
(xvi) Auga Akoko Township Road,
There are currently ongoing road projects in many other communities .
d. In addition to the construction of several classroom blocks, skills acquisition centers were also built in Arigidi Akoko and Ogbagi Akoko. Some of the schools include:
(i) 2 blocks of six classroom in Okeagbe High School, Okeagbe Akoko.
(ii) 1 block of six classroom in Eye Oke High School, Oyin Akoko
(iii) 1 block of six classroom in Ilemopo Comprehensive High School, Irun Akoko.
(iv) 1 block of six classroom in Comprehensive High School, Oke igbede Ikare Akoko
(v) 1 block of six classroom in Community High School, Iboropa Akoko.
e. He has been making provisions of free 1,000 UTME Forms and tutorials for our children who are interested in tertiary education every year. He has also organised mathematical competition to enhance the development of STEM education in our secondary schools.
f. A computer center was also refurbished and equipped in Akoko Anglican Grammar school, Arigidi Akoko. A new ICT centre is presently being built in Federal Science and Technical College, Ikare Akoko.
g. Industrial boreholes were also constructed in Ogbagi Akoko, Ugbe Akoko, Okorun Ikare Akoko, Ikaram Akoko, Ajowa Akoko, Agboriki Ilepa Ikare Akoko.
- We also observed Rep. Tunji-Ojo has a clear development plan which he has set out to ensure its implementation since he was elected in 2019. His magic touch is on every aspect of our lives and in every town making up the constituency.
- BTO’s cordial relationship with the state government and the Federal government has brought more succour to our people. The Ikare township road and the Arigidi-Ogbagi virgin road are testament to this fact. We are happy with this development.
- The respect and honour he has accorded our royal fathers are what many politicians have removed from our system to reduce our cultural heritage. Through his donation of Buses for our royal fathers, he has further shown he values our traditional institution.
RESOLUTIONS:
- In the light of the foregoing, the Youth Summit Resolved as Follows:
a. That we want our people to sustain this mature approach to campaigning for their preferred candidates for various positions and in line with the provisions of the electoral act. We urge them to use the last window of the CVR process to register qualified citizens and also visit any INEC office to obtain their voters card.
b. We are aware of REO. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo’s development master plan for our constituency and we are giving him our full backing to ensure this plan is sufficiently implemented.
c. We, therefore call on Rep. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to contest for the House of Representative seat again as we are sure his continuity will ensure more development even more than we have witnessed in the past 2 years under him.
d. To avoid ambiguity, by our call to the honorable member in item (c) above, we have unanimously pass a vote of confidence on him and also endorse him as our sole candidate for the House of Representatives seat come 2023 General elections.
e. We are also calling all political parties to ensure a candidate is not fielded against him as this will only signify such political party’s stance against the development of our constituency. Such stance will be totally frowned at.
CONCLUSION:
- Power resides with the people and their ability to use this power to their advantage is what brings pro-people development. Our people are awake to their duties and ready to take the bull by its horns.
- We are pleading with our traditional rulers, religious leaders and opinion leaders to ensure there is no other candidate for the position of House of Representatives come 2023. Rewarding BTO with our support and votes is the only true way to encourage other leaders that our people are not ingrates, and that they will always appreciate quality representation.
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