By Onaivi Ojo
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial candidate, Barrister Asue Ighodalo, on Thursday disclosed that all was now set for the ground-breaking ceremony of a University of Mining and Geosciences to be located at the premises of Igarra Technical College, Igarra, the Akoko-Edo Local Government Area headquarters.
The PDP flag bearer who disclosed this while speaking at the MEET THE CANDIDATES series organized by the Akoko-Edo Development Association (AEF) to interrogate gubernatorial hopefuls for the forthcoming elections said the ground-breaking event will take place in a few weeks.
He said that it was in consideration of the rich mineral resources and mining potentials of Akoko-Edo that the ruling PDP government of Godwin Obaseki has decided to site a University of Mining and Geosciences in the area that had hitherto been neglected in the scheme of things.
A Press statement issued by Akoko-Edo Development Association and signed by Barrister (Mrs.) Mary Opii quoted Mr. Ighodalo as pledging that if elected he would reverse the unfair treatment of Akoko-Edo people. He was also quoted as saying said that aside the creation of a functional university, the people would also enjoy representation at the highest level, the creation of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), and attention to providing quality teachers and healthcare services.
He birthed the idea that some missionary schools may be returned to their original owners to free the government from the resources voted for such schools and adequate funding management by the new owners. He also said that EDOBEST will be improved and spread across the state.
Informed that the LGA lacks any functional government hospital and only one medical doctor in the General Hospital at Igarra, he lamented the absence of healthcare providers in the state’s rural areas due to the harsh living conditions in those areas. He said “Making life in rural areas more comfortable and offering healthcare providers incentives like mortgages, tax advantages, special allowances, and provisions of facilities to attract and keep them in rural areas will arrest the trend”.
He expressed his commitment to looking into tertiary health institutions and enhanced medical laboratories in the LGA to address the shortage of proper treatment of major ailments while focusing on primary health centers as the frontline in healthcare delivery to the people. In addition to this, there will be an intentional effort to make health insurance work, he assured
On the unwieldy size of Akoko Edo Locally Government Area, which is the oldest in the country, Mr. Ighodalo disclosed his intention to create LCDAs from the current LGA. Though he noted the constitutional challenges to creating a new Local Government Area, he nonetheless pledged to look at the model of Lagos State and other areas that have found creative ways to address LGA creation using LCDAs. He said he would work with the State Assembly to sort out the issue.
On how he will achieve his lofty plans for Akoko-Edo and the rest of the state, he said his government will build “trust in governance” that will help in accessing funds readily available around the world for developmental projects; these funds have low interest rates and favorable repayment plans. These projects will lead to economic activities with a cascading impact. “Take it that I will create an enabling and friendly environment for businesses to thrive in urban and rural areas. The era of multiple taxations will soon be over because my team will create a one-stop tax processing program.”
On the information that Akoko -Edo lacks any functional government hospital and that only one medical doctor wasn’t engaged at the General Hospital at Igarra, Ighodalo lamented the general absence of healthcare providers in the state’s rural areas due to the harsh living conditions in those areas. “Making life in rural areas more comfortable and offering healthcare providers incentives like mortgages, tax advantages, special allowances, and provisions of facilities to attract and keep them in rural areas will arrest the trend”.
He expressed commitment to look into tertiary health institutions and enhanced medical laboratories in the LGA to address the shortage of proper treatment of major ailments while focusing on primary health centers as the frontline in healthcare delivery to the people. In addition to this, there will be an intentional effort to make health insurance work, he assured.
The PDP flag bearer spoke glowingly on Akoko Edo tourism potentials “I know for sure that Akoko-Edo is rich in mineral resources and has fantastic tourist sites in Somorika, Ososo, Igarra, Ojah, and many more that will be pivotal to the industrialization agenda for the area.” He compared the topography of this area to the tourist sites in South Africa and Spain that he’ll use to create economic activities in those areas.
He highlighted the importance of security in the success of any tourism venture. He said that to attract tourists to those areas, security is critical. ‘’I know that Akoko-Edo people who are very proud of their area, making an impact nationally and globally, and are highly industrious, are very concerned about the rife insecurity in that part of the state that has affected every aspect of life there’’, adding that he planned to adequately fund and equip state security outfits to curb the menace of criminal marauders preventing people from moving about freely.