By Yahaya Idris, Toto.
A group, Toto Concern Youth Patriots (TOCOYOP), has expressed its disappointment by the Nasarawa state government’s failure to capture Toto local government in its 2021 budget.
A statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary, Prince Muhammed Bashir Onairo Umaisha and Comr. Yahaya Idris Ahmed Toto respectively, said despite the massive votes the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) garnered from Toto local government area, the reward is not only exclusion, but total neglect and unwarranted marginalisation.
“We wish to remind the Governor of Nasarawa state, His Excellency Engineer Abdullahi Sule that Toto Local Government is still part of Nasarawa state and there should be no reason to neglect and even deny it of social amenities.”
“We have observed the deliberate refusal to link Toto to national grid of electricity despite the efforts of the late Hon .Musa Baba Onwana of the House of Representatives, who wired electricity from Nasarawa town down to some few kilometres to Toto town. With the death of Hon. Onwana, the project seems to have gone into coma.”
“The other electricity link from Abaji in the FCT has been disconnected for over a decade now and efforts to reconnect failed. The only hope has been that Engineer Sule will complete the Nasarawa – Toto – Umaisha electricity project started by late House of Representatives member, Musa Onwana.” The group laments.
While they commended the Governor for the swift action against bandits and kidnappers that were terrorising Toto local government area, the group also thanked the Governor for the few political appointments given to some people from the area.
They called on state government to consider Toto for a tertiary institution as the area is part of Nasarawa state, alleging that the area might have been schemed out by some inner members of ruling party, who are all out to sabotage the cordial relationship that exist between government and the people of the area.
The group therefore appealed to Governor Sule to look into the 2021 budget and consider Toto local government area for a project, as done to other 12 LGAs.
“Please consider our distance from the state capital, nearness to Abuja FCT and border local government, which the state could use to portray its developmental strides to other states of the country.
“Neglecting Toto will not serve any purpose, we have everything agriculture, solid minerals and human resources.” They said.