By joshua 
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF ADVOCACY VISIT TO AGBAJA, HEADQUARTERS OF OWORO HELD ON MONDAY 8TH AUGUST, 2022 AT THE MAASI OF AGBAJA PALACE, AGBAJA, KOGI STATE.
BACKGROUND.
The advocacy was organized by Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development, (PIBCID) Nigeria. It had in attendance participants from Agbaja Traditional Council, Community members, PIBCID staff and the Media.
The advocacy visit was aimed at providing an interactive platform with the Traditional Council, Community members, PIBCID staff and Media to chat a way forward on the deplorable state of Felele Oworo roads, poor Educational and healthcare facilities and services in Oworo Kingdom, under Lokoja Local Government Area in Kogi State and propose relevant recommendations to the Kogi State Government
OBSERVATIONS
PIBCID, during the visit observed the following challenges confronting the People of Agbaja/Oworo Kingdom in Lokoja Local Government Area of Kogi State over two decades.
That Oworo/Agbaja Road over two decades has reflected in Kogi State budget and also has been awarded severally by the State government but there is no effect to the implementation of the awarded road contract.
That Kogi State Government has not complemented the efforts of some private organization that have been supporting the Kingdom in the area of social amenities. That for over decades, Government presence has not been felt in the communities.
That despite the effort of Agbaja Kingdom to build a Police outpost, the Nigeria Police is yet to deploy any of its personnel’s to Agbaja as the lives and properties of the people is under serious threat over the growing insecurity in the Country. That the state of education in Agbaja and the entire Oworo land is in a bad state.
The structures in Universal Basic Education, (UBE), Government Secondary School are all in a dilapidated state and lacks sufficient teachers. In their Primary School, and UBE for instance, has just one teacher from JSS one to JSS three while Government Secondary School Agbaja four Teachers from JSS I to SS3 with two none academic staff.
That the Cottage Hospital built by the State Government is not just only in a dilapidated form but has been abandoned despite the presence of over 30 health workers on the pay roll of the Kogi State Government.
That Oworo communities have recorded high rate of mortalities due to poor health facilities and the non-functionality of Agbaja Cottage Hospital. That there is no suitable water for community consumption.
RECOMMENDATIONS
After sustained and lengthy deliberations and discussions, the advocacy visit team in collaboration with the traditional councils came up with the following recommendations:
That the Contractors of the awarded roads should return to site.
That the Government should complement the efforts of KCM towards providing social amenities to Oworo Kingdom (Road, Water & Education).
That government should make available it presence in the community as they should support the people with laudable project to develop Oworo Kingdom and attract investors.
That urgent need for the State Government to direct the Kogi State Commissioner of Police to deploy Police Officers to Oworo land for the security of lives and properties of the people.
That Government should deploy teachers to Primary, UBE and Government Secondary Schools in Oworo Land so that they can compete with other student across the globe.
That there is urgent need for government to renovate the Cottage Hospital before it will collapse.
That Government should compel all the staff of the Cottage Hospital to return back to their duty post.
That there is need for elected representatives to build constituency offices and call for at list quarterly town hall meeting to discuss matters arising affect Oworo land.
That Government should make provision for suitable water system for the people of Oworo land.
Signed
Akande Racheal R.
Ag. Executive Director
PIBCID