The Bassa-Nge Community Development Network (BNCDN) has called on both the Federal and Kogi State Governments to urgently address the infrastructural decay and neglect of Bassa Local Government Area, despite its proximity to Lokoja, the state capital.
Speaking during a press conference in Lokoja under the #BassaNgeDeservesBetter campaign, the National President of the Network, Joseph Yaba, lamented the long years of marginalization suffered by the Bassa-Nge people, describing their condition as unacceptable.
He said that although the Bassa-Nge have made significant contributions to Nigeria’s development through military, civic, and political service, they continue to be denied basic social amenities and government attention.
“Our paramount ruler, His Royal Majesty Brigadier General Abu Ali Mopa III (Rtd.), served this nation with utmost dedication, while our son, Colonel Abu Ali, paid the ultimate price defending the nation. Yet, our people have nothing to show in terms of infrastructure and development,” Yaba stated.
Our Kogi State Correspondent, reports that the group highlighted several key issues affecting the area, including the poor state of infrastructure, collapsed healthcare system, dilapidated schools, and abandoned road projects — particularly the Anyigba–Dekina–Shintaku Road and the Lokoja–Shintaku Bridge, which it described as “lifelines” for economic and social development.
Yaba noted that the completion of these projects would boost agricultural trade, enhance security, improve access to education and healthcare, and connect Bassa communities to the larger Kogi East economy.
“Our people have been cut off from opportunities for far too long. Every delay in completing these projects means more suffering for our farmers, traders, women, and children,” he said.
On healthcare, the group lamented the deplorable condition of hospitals and health centres in the area, noting that pregnant women still travel long and dangerous distances to deliver safely. Yaba described the situation as tragic, emphasizing that “access to healthcare should not be a privilege but a right.”
He also expressed deep concern over the state of education in the area, saying that most schools lack qualified teachers, learning materials, and sanitation facilities. “When a nation fails in education, it fails in its future,” he warned.
As the 2027 general election approaches, the group declared that development would be the key factor determining the political choices of the Bassa-Nge people.
“Development is our priority. Infrastructure is our demand. Inclusive governance is our right. We will support leaders who support us,” Yaba said firmly.
The BNCDN, however, commended Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for ongoing efforts to improve development across the state and also lauded the Senate for deliberating on the deplorable state of the Anyigba–Dekina–Shintaku Road and urging the Federal Ministry of Works to re-award the contract for immediate completion.
The group called on the Federal Government, the Kogi State Government, lawmakers, development partners, and the media to join hands in ensuring justice and fairness for the Bassa-Nge people.
“We are not here in confrontation but in constructive demand. Every delay keeps our women struggling for miles to reach hospitals, keeps our children learning under unsafe conditions, and weakens our farmers’ ability to thrive,” Yaba stressed.
He reaffirmed the community’s commitment to peaceful engagement with all relevant authorities until development reaches Bassa land.
“Let the world hear our voice. Let the government act so that the people of Bassa Local Government and the Bassa-Nge Kingdom can rise to their full potential,” Yaba concluded.
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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