The Indigenes of Oworo, under the auspices of the Oworo West Progressive Forum (OWPF), on Saturday called for the creation of the Oworo West Local Government Council out of the Lokoja council area of Kogi.

The OWPF chairman, who doubled as the Olu Apata, Fredrick Balogun, made the demand at the forum’s maiden stakeholders’ meeting held in Lokoja.

A committee, which has the Lokoja council chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, as a member, had made a presentation for the creation of two LGAs from the area before the Constitution Review Committee in Jos on July 6.

The committee was said to have proposed the creation of Oworo Central and East LGAs out of the local government council for the overall development of Oworo land.

“I stand here today as a true ambassador of Oworo West with boldness and enthusiastic determination to ensure that the immeasurable purpose of our existence is achieved,” Mr Balogun said.

He described Oworo West as a strong economic hub of the Lokoja Local Government Area and Kogi State at large, which should have a local government of its own.

Mr Balogun said there are nine communities that make up the forum, including Apata Ipatun Oworo, Obajana Ipatun Oworo, Emu Oworo, Jakura Oworo, Ogbabon Oworo, Tajimi Oworo, Oshokoshoko Oworo, Qyo/lwaa Oworo, and Amogbe-Iwaa Oworo.

The chairman stated that the forum served as a vehicle to foster the interest of the constituent communities in their socio-economic growth, as well as to initiate, facilitate, provide, and promote their security and social development.

“We appreciate the efforts of the committee members who worked relentlessly on the proposal for the creation of the two local government areas from a ward,” he said.

The traditional ruler said the forum’s call was because it was not clear about the two proposed local government areas – Kuroko, with its headquarters in Karara, and Oworo, with its headquarters in Agbaja.

“There is no option left for us than to call this stakeholders’ meeting for clarifications and to formally present our request for consideration, as part of the proposed local government areas in the present Oworo ward in Lokoja LGA,” he said.

In his remarks, the Kogi House of Assembly speaker, Umar Yusuf, commended the forum for calling a stakeholders’ meeting to resolve the issue.

Mr Yusuf assured that the forum’s observation would be addressed and corrected for the benefit of all.

“It was just a lack of adequate information, but now that everybody is on the same page, the important observation that has been raised will be addressed by God’s grace,” he said.

In his response, Abdullahi Adamu, chairman of Lokoja Local Government, stated that the choice of the proposed Oworo Central and Oworo East Local Governments, as well as their respective headquarters, was based on certain criteria outlined by the drafting committee.

The Olu of Oworo and paramount ruler of Oworo land, Muhammed Baiyerohi, appealed to all stakeholders to ensure that the right thing was done toward ensuring the development of the area.

(NAN)