Open Letter to His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, Executive Governor of Kogi State On the Deplorable Condition of the Shintaku–Oguma Road and the Plight of the Bassa-Nge People

Your Excellency,

Warm greetings to you from the Bassa-Nge Community Development Network both at home and in the diaspora.

I write on behalf of the *Bassa-Nge Community Development Network* and the entire Bassa-Nge ethnic nationality to draw your attention to the dire and long-neglected condition of the Shintaku–Oguma Road, a lifeline that connects the Bassa Local Government Area with the rest of Kogi State and beyond.

This road, which stretches from Ganaja in Lokoja through Shintaku to Oguma—the headquarters of Bassa LGA—is of critical importance not only to the Bassa-Nge people but also to several other communities and local governments that depend on it for movement, trade, healthcare access, and general economic livelihood. Unfortunately, its current state is beyond deplorable.

What used to be a passable road has now become a dangerous trail of potholes, eroded paths, and impassable stretches that worsen during the rainy season. This has led to increasing hardship for our people:

– Pregnant women and the sick are often unable to reach hospitals on time.

– Farmers are unable to transport their goods to markets, resulting in huge economic losses.

– Transporters are forced to abandon their services due to vehicle damage and soaring costs.

– Insecurity festers as the bad road isolates our people from swift emergency response.

Your Excellency, we know that you inherited many challenges from past administrations, and we commend the visible efforts you are making across the state. However, the Shintaku–Oguma Road remains a symbol of deep infrastructural neglect and must be addressed with the urgency it deserves.

We appeal to you, in the spirit of equity and good governance, to prioritize the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Shintaku–Oguma Road. The time has come for Bassa-Nge people to feel the impact of state presence and inclusion in developmental strides.

We believe that Your Excellency, with your reputation for action and service-driven leadership, will heed this call and bring relief to our people. We are confident that history will remember you as the governor who reconnected Bassa to hope, prosperity, and progress.

Thank you, Your Excellency, and may God grant you the wisdom and strength to serve Kogi State with fairness and vision.

Yours in service,

Joseph Emmanuel Yaba
President
Bassa-Nge Community Development Network
Josephyaba@gmail.com
Date: 23 April 2025