By joshua YAGBA EAST: KOGI FINANCE COMMISSIONER UNVEILS NG-CARES LIFELINE ACROSS 10 WARDS, 82 POLLING UNITS AS APC APPOINTEES UNITE AHEAD OF LG POLL, 2027 GENERAL ELECTION
Finance Commissioner, Mukadam Asiwaju Asiru Idris, FCA, explains ward-by-ward distribution of NG-CARES interventions as Yagba East political office holders strengthen unity, reconciliation and grassroots mobilisation ahead of forthcoming elections.
Political office holders from Yagba East Local Government Area have held a strategic meeting to deliberate on political coordination, reconciliation, grassroots mobilisation, equitable distribution of government interventions and preparations for the forthcoming Local Government and 2027 General Elections.
The meeting, convened by the Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mukadam Asiwaju Asiru Idris, FCA, brought together political appointees serving at both the state and local government levels.
Prominent leaders who participated included the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Pastor (Mrs.) Folashade Arike Ayoade; Mukadam Asiwaju Asiru Idris, FCA, Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning; Hon. Emmanuel Obaro, Member representing Yagba East State Constituency; Hon. Monday Joshua, Executive Chairman of Yagba East Local Government Area; alongside other political office holders and stakeholders across the local government.
SSG PREACHES LOVE, FORGIVENESS AND UNITY
Giving the opening remarks, the Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Pastor (Mrs.) Folashade Arike Ayoade, admonished APC members and political office holders to continue to demonstrate love for one another, strengthen unity within the party and embrace forgiveness in the overall interest of Yagba East and the APC.
She stressed that political differences should not be allowed to create permanent divisions among members who share the same political family and objectives.
The SSG urged stakeholders to put aside personal differences, forgive one another and work collectively for the progress of the party and the administration.
She further charged political office holders and party stakeholders to return to their respective wards and communities with renewed determination to strengthen the APC at the grassroots and ensure the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and all APC candidates in the 2027 General Elections.
Far-reaching discussions subsequently centred on strengthening political unity and coordination, including the nomination of focal persons to coordinate activities across the various wards and the proposed constitution of a reconciliation committee to address political differences and further strengthen cohesion among party stakeholders.
ASIWAJU UNVEILS NG-CARES ALLOCATION WARD BY WARD
A major highlight of the meeting was a detailed presentation by Mukadam Asiwaju Asiru Idris, FCA, who explained the allocation of interventions under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES 2.0) Programme to Yagba East Local Government Area.
Mukadam Asiwaju explained that the distribution was designed to ensure fairness, transparency, inclusiveness and effective grassroots coverage, with the number of polling units in each ward providing the basis for determining its proportionate share.
He explained that Yagba East has 10 electoral wards and 82 polling units, and proceeded to give the political office holders a detailed ward-by-ward breakdown of what their respective communities would receive.
For Ife Olukotun I, with six polling units, Mukadam Asiwaju explained that 9 residents would benefit from Cash Transfer, 26 from Livelihood Grants, 6 from Labour-Intensive Public Works, while 13 farmers would receive Agricultural Inputs and Productive Assets.
For Ife Olukotun II, also with six polling units, 9 beneficiaries would receive Cash Transfer, 26 would receive Livelihood Grants, 6 would benefit from Labour-Intensive Public Works, while 13 farmers would receive Agricultural Inputs and Productive Assets.
In Ponyan Ward, with seven polling units, the allocation provides for 10 Cash Transfer beneficiaries, 30 Livelihood Grant beneficiaries, 7 Labour-Intensive Public Works beneficiaries and 15 farmers under the Inputs and Productive Assets intervention.
For Alu/Igbagun/Oranre Ward, with nine polling units, 13 residents would benefit from Cash Transfer, 38 from Livelihood Grants, 9 from Labour-Intensive Public Works, while 19 farmers would receive Inputs and Productive Assets.
In Ejuku Ward, with five polling units, 7 beneficiaries are allocated to Cash Transfer, 21 to Livelihood Grants, 5 to Labour-Intensive Public Works and 10 farmers to Agricultural Inputs and Productive Assets.
For Jege/Oke/Agi Ogbom/Isao Ward, with eight polling units, the allocation provides for 11 Cash Transfer beneficiaries, 34 Livelihood Grant beneficiaries, 8 Labour-Intensive Public Works beneficiaries and 17 farmers under Agricultural Inputs and Productive Assets.
In Makutu I, with nine polling units, 13 residents would benefit from Cash Transfer, 38 from Livelihood Grants, 9 from Labour-Intensive Public Works, while 19 farmers would receive Agricultural Inputs and Productive Assets.
For Makutu II, with six polling units, 9 beneficiaries would receive Cash Transfer, 26 would receive Livelihood Grants, 6 would participate in Labour-Intensive Public Works, while 13 farmers would receive Inputs and Productive Assets.
Okemeta Ward, with 17 polling units and the highest polling-unit strength in the local government, would receive the largest proportionate allocation, comprising 24 Cash Transfer beneficiaries, 73 Livelihood Grant beneficiaries, 16 Labour-Intensive Public Works beneficiaries and 36 farmers under Agricultural Inputs and Productive Assets.
For Ilafin/Idofin/Odo-Ogba Ward, with nine polling units, the allocation provides for 13 Cash Transfer beneficiaries, 38 Livelihood Grant beneficiaries, 9 Labour-Intensive Public Works beneficiaries and 19 farmers under Agricultural Inputs and Productive Assets.
Mukadam Asiwaju further explained that beneficiaries under the Cash Transfer component would receive ₦20,000 monthly for 12 months, while each beneficiary under the Livelihood Grants would receive a one-off ₦100,000 grant to establish, strengthen or expand small businesses and other income-generating ventures.
Beneficiaries of the Labour-Intensive Public Works component would similarly receive ₦20,000 monthly for 12 months, while farmers under the Inputs and Productive Assets component would receive agricultural support, including fertilisers, herbicides and other productive inputs.
He also explained that under the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) intervention, 15 communities across Yagba East would benefit from projects including the provision and rehabilitation of healthcare facilities, motorable roads and public school buildings, with particular priority given to communities that had not benefited from previous interventions, in order to ensure wider and more equitable development across the local government.
Mukadam Asiwaju stressed that explaining the allocation ward by ward was necessary so that political leaders and residents could clearly understand what is coming to Yagba East, what each ward is expected to receive and the transparent basis upon which the allocation was made.
He emphasised that government interventions must reach beyond the local government headquarters to the communities, wards and polling units, stressing that “every ward matters and every polling unit must feel the impact of government.”
He attributed the intervention to the people-centred leadership of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, FCA, whose administration, he said, remains committed to taking economic opportunities and social protection programmes directly to vulnerable citizens at the grassroots.
APPOINTEES MOVE TO DEEPEN UNITY AHEAD OF ELECTIONS
The meeting also reviewed strategies for mobilisation and effective political coordination ahead of the forthcoming Local Government elections and the 2027 General Elections.
Participants reaffirmed the importance of reconciliation, regular engagement and stronger cooperation among political office holders, elected representatives, party leaders and grassroots stakeholders.
It was agreed that another meeting would be held physically in Isanlu within the next two weeks, with an acceptable date to be communicated after consultations with stakeholders.
The meeting also considered the welfare of the family of the late Mr. Tayese of Ife-Olukotun, a former political appointee who recently passed away, leaving behind a wife and children.
In response, the political leaders, led by the Secretary to the State Government, pledged to give the matter serious attention and assured participants that discussions would be held with His Excellency, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, on possible support for the bereaved family.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by political office holders to strengthen internal cohesion, improve coordination across the wards, ensure equitable access to government interventions and work collectively towards the political success of Yagba East and the All Progressives Congress, as well as the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and the victory of all APC candidates in 2027.