Outrage in Ibaji as 13% Oil Derivation Yields No Development

…….As Schools Collapse, Teachers Remain Unpaid

Juliet Akoje In Abuja

Stakeholders from Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State have voiced sharp outrage and alarm over what they describe as the Kogi State Oil Producing Area Development Commission’s (KOSOPADEC) glaring failure to implement development projects in oil-bearing communities, despite the commission’s access to significant allocations from the 13 percent derivation fund.

In a formal petition submitted to the Chairman of KOSOPADEC, the aggrieved stakeholders drawn from multiple interest groups across Ibaji decried the complete lack of visible development initiatives in the area, accusing the commission of violating its legal mandate as provided for under the KOSOPADEC Law enacted in 2023.

The spokesperson of the group, Mr Kelvin Apeh highlighted the dire condition of basic infrastructure in Ibaji, pointing to roads that have become virtually unusable, poorly equipped health facilities, and schools struggling with inadequate resources, a situation they squarely blamed on KOSOPADEC’s alleged abandonment of its statutory duties.

The petition further calls for clear explanations regarding the failure to execute projects, demands full financial accountability, and insists on a detailed disclosure of how the 13 percent derivation funds have been spent, invoking provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) of 2011 to back their request.

The stakeholders issued a firm ultimatum to the commission, urging an immediate response and cautioning that persistent neglect could escalate into serious socio-economic disruption and strain relations between the communities and government institutions.

However, Copies of the complaint have been forwarded to the Executive Governor of Kogi State, the Kogi State House of Assembly, and relevant anti-corruption agencies, among other authorities, signaling the stakeholders’ readiness to pursue the matter through all appropriate channels.

Also, resident of Ibaji Local Government Area in Kogi State has sounded a strong warning over the deteriorating state of public education in the area, blaming the crisis on unpaid teachers, crumbling school buildings and generally poor infrastructure.

The call was made by an Ibaji indigene, Mr. Alilo Ameh, during an interview recently.

Ameh said the decayed state of the primary school he once attended mirrors the situation in virtually all Ibaji communities, stressing that the problem is widespread and not limited to a single village.

Recalling his school days in the 1960s and 1970s, he described the current condition of the school as heartbreaking, noting that no community in Ibaji can boast of better facilities than another.

He further stated that most of the schools still functioning in the area were set up by missionaries or private individuals, rather than by the government.

According to him, government-owned schools in Ibaji are uniformly in a state of neglect and disrepair.

Ameh alleged that teachers in many Ibaji villages have gone without salaries, a development he said has severely undermined the quality of teaching and learning.

Questioning how effective education can take place under such circumstances, he argued that unpaid teachers cannot be motivated to deliver quality instruction.

He also pointed to the lack of decent accommodation and poor school facilities as major reasons teachers are unwilling to remain in the communities.

Ameh wondered how educators could be attracted from outside Ibaji when there are no livable houses and school buildings are in deplorable condition.

He revealed that as a result, many parents now take their young children to neighbouring states, particularly Delta State, in search of better schooling opportunities.

He lamented that even pre-primary school pupils are being sent away, often without their parents, because of the collapse of local schools.

Ameh disclosed that the entire Ibaji Local Government Area is served by only one government-owned secondary school.

He added that the lone secondary school is plagued by the same problems affecting the primary schools, including poor facilities and neglect.

The Ibaji indigene attributed the area’s abandonment to its poor road network, saying the difficult terrain discourages visits by government officials.

He claimed that even public office holders avoid residing in Ibaji due to the lack of basic infrastructure and impassable roads.

Ameh further alleged that Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State has not visited Ibaji since taking office.

According to him, the governor has never set foot in Ibaji, despite the area’s support during elections.

Although Ibaji was designated an oil-producing area by the Federal Government years ago, Ameh said residents have yet to experience any tangible benefits from that status.

He questioned what advantage oil production has brought to the land and its people, noting the absence of visible development.

He therefore appealed to the state and local governments to urgently address the crisis by paying teachers’ salaries, rehabilitating schools and upgrading infrastructure to rescue the education sector in Ibaji.