Residents of Ibaji Local Government Area in Kogi State are up in arms over the glaring failure of the Kogi State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (KOSOPADEC) to implement development projects in oil-bearing communities, despite receiving significant allocations from the 13 percent derivation fund.
In a petition to the Chairman of KOSOPADEC, stakeholders from Ibaji expressed their outrage and alarm over the complete lack of visible development initiatives in the area. They cited crumbling roads, poorly equipped health facilities, and struggling schools as evidence of the commission’s abandonment of its statutory duties. Mr. Kelvin Apeh, spokesperson for the group, stated that the situation is dire and blamed KOSOPADEC for violating its legal mandate as provided for under the KOSOPADEC Law enacted in 2023.
The petition demands explanations for the failure to execute projects, full financial accountability, and disclosure of how the 13 percent derivation funds have been spent. The stakeholders have given KOSOPADEC an ultimatum to respond, warning that neglect could lead to socio-economic disruption and strain relations between the communities and government institutions. 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, signaling the stakeholders’ readiness to pursue the matter through all appropriate channels.
The crisis in Ibaji’s education sector is particularly alarming. Schools are collapsing, teachers remain unpaid, and infrastructure is poor. Mr. Alilo Ameh, an Ibaji indigene, recalls his school days in the 1960s and 1970s with nostalgia, describing the current state of schools as heartbreaking. He said that most schools still functioning in the area were set up by missionaries or private individuals, rather than by the government, and that government-owned schools are uniformly in a state of neglect and disrepair.
Ameh alleged that teachers in many Ibaji villages have gone without salaries, undermining the quality of teaching and learning. He questioned how effective education can take place under such circumstances, arguing 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.
As a result, many parents are forced to take their children to neighboring states, particularly Delta State, in search of better schooling opportunities. Ameh lamented that even pre-primary school pupils are being sent away, often without their parents, because of the collapse of local schools. He disclosed that the entire Ibaji Local Government Area is served by only one government-owned secondary school, which is plagued by the same problems affecting the primary schools, including poor facilities and neglect.
Ameh 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. Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo has not visited Ibaji since taking office, despite the area’s electoral support. Residents question the benefits of oil production, asking what advantage it has brought to the land and its people.
The situation in Ibaji is a stark reminder of the need for accountability and transparency in the management of oil revenues. The state and local governments must urgently address the crisis by paying teachers’ salaries, rehabilitating schools, and upgrading infrastructure to rescue Ibaji’s education sector. The people of Ibaji demand action, and it is time for their voices to be heard.