The Igala community has called for the equitable distribution of secondary school construction projects being implemented under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) programme in Kogi State in collaboration with the World Bank.
The community also urged Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, to address what it described as lopsided appointments and distribution of development projects across the state’s three senatorial districts.
The call followed an analysis of a Specific Procurement Notice for the construction of 28 secondary schools across 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kogi State under the World Bank-supported AGILE programme.
AGILE Projects Show Wide Distribution Gap Across Kogi
According to the procurement notice, the 28 secondary school projects are distributed across Kogi East, Kogi Central and Kogi West.
However, an analysis of the listed beneficiary locations shows a significant disparity in the distribution of the projects among the three senatorial districts.
Kogi East, which comprises nine LGAs, has nine projects, representing approximately 32.1 per cent of the 28 projects.
Kogi West, with seven LGAs, has seven projects, representing 25 per cent of the total allocation.
Kogi Central, despite having only five LGAs, has 12 projects, representing approximately 42.9 per cent of all 28 projects.
The figures mean that while each LGA in Kogi East and Kogi West receives one project under the procurement notice, Kogi Central averages 2.4 projects per LGA.
Kogi Central Gets 12 Projects Across Five LGAs
The procurement notice lists projects in all five LGAs that make up Kogi Central Senatorial District.
- Adavi: Three projects
- Ajaokuta: One project
- Ogori/Magongo: Two projects
- Okehi: Three projects
- Okene: Three projects
In total, the five Kogi Central LGAs account for 12 of the 28 projects.
By comparison, the nine LGAs in Kogi East receive one project each, while the seven LGAs in Kogi West also receive one project each.
This means that the seven projects above a simple one-project-per-LGA baseline are concentrated in Kogi Central.
Kogi East Has Nine LGAs but Nine Projects
Kogi East comprises Ankpa, Bassa, Dekina, Ibaji, Idah, Igalamela-Odolu, Ofu, Olamaboro and Omala.
Each of the nine LGAs has one project listed in the procurement notice.
The district therefore accounts for approximately 42.9 per cent of Kogi State’s 21 LGAs but receives only 32.1 per cent of the 28 projects.
This creates a gap of about 10.8 percentage points between the district’s share of LGAs and its share of the projects.
The disparity becomes more significant when population distribution is considered.
Population Distribution Raises Further Questions
Figures cited by stakeholders put Kogi East at approximately 45 per cent of the state’s population, Kogi Central at 28 per cent and Kogi West at 27 per cent.
When those stated population shares are compared with the project allocation, Kogi East’s 32.1 per cent share of the 28 projects appears considerably lower than its stated population share of 45 per cent.
Conversely, Kogi Central’s 42.9 per cent share of the projects is substantially higher than its stated population share of 28 per cent.
Kogi West, with 25 per cent of the projects against a stated population share of 27 per cent, is comparatively close to proportional representation.
| Senatorial District | Stated Population Share | Project Share | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kogi East | 45% | 32.1% | -12.9 percentage points |
| Kogi Central | 28% | 42.9% | +14.9 percentage points |
| Kogi West | 27% | 25% | -2 percentage points |
Based on those figures, the community is questioning whether population, educational needs and geographical considerations were adequately reflected in the project allocation.
Central’s Five LGAs Receive More Projects Than East’s Nine LGAs
One of the most striking features of the allocation is the contrast between Kogi Central and Kogi East.
Kogi Central has only five LGAs but receives 12 projects.
Kogi East has nine LGAs but receives only nine projects.
This means that the five Central LGAs collectively receive three more projects than the nine Eastern LGAs.
On a per-LGA basis, Central receives an average of 2.4 projects per LGA, compared with one project per LGA in Kogi East.
The community said this concentration warrants an explanation from the relevant authorities, particularly because the projects are part of a major education intervention supported by the World Bank.
Igala Community Calls for Transparency
The Igala community said it is not opposed to development projects being located in Kogi Central or any other part of the state.
Rather, it wants the government and implementing authorities to demonstrate that the projects were distributed according to transparent, objective and verifiable criteria.
The community is therefore calling for the publication of the needs-assessment criteria, school-selection methodology and other technical documents used to determine the 28 beneficiary locations.
It also wants the authorities to explain why some LGAs received multiple projects while other LGAs received only one.
What Criteria Were Used to Select the Beneficiary Schools?
The community is asking whether the distribution was based on factors such as school enrolment, infrastructure deficits, population, gender-related education needs, poverty levels, existing school conditions, distance to schools or other technical indicators.
If such criteria were applied, the community believes they should be made public so that citizens can independently understand the basis for the geographical distribution.
According to the community, publishing the assessment and selection methodology would help dispel concerns about possible political or geographical bias in the allocation.
Call on Ododo to Stop Lopsided Appointments and Project Distribution
Beyond the AGILE school construction projects, the Igala community also called on Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to address what it described as lopsided appointments and project distribution across Kogi State.
The community wants greater geographical balance in government appointments, infrastructure projects and other opportunities controlled by the state administration.
It argued that equitable representation is important for maintaining public confidence and ensuring that citizens across the three senatorial districts feel included in the state’s development agenda.
The community stressed that its concern should not be interpreted as opposition to development in Kogi Central.
Instead, it said public resources should be distributed according to fairness, need, transparency and clearly defined criteria.
Why the AGILE Project Distribution Matters
The AGILE programme is focused on improving access to education and empowering adolescent girls, making the location of participating schools an important issue for communities across Kogi State.
New school infrastructure can improve access to learning facilities, support enrolment and create better conditions for students and teachers.
However, communities that believe they are being consistently excluded from major education infrastructure interventions may question whether public resources are being distributed fairly.
The issue therefore extends beyond the construction of individual schools. It raises broader questions about how public development resources are distributed across Kogi State.
Community Demands Review of Project Allocation
The Igala community is calling on the Kogi State Government and relevant AGILE authorities to review the distribution and make the underlying selection process transparent.
It wants the authorities to publish the assessment reports used to determine the 28 beneficiary locations and explain the reasons behind the concentration of projects in Kogi Central.
The community also wants the government to ensure that communities with significant educational infrastructure needs are not overlooked because of geographical, political or administrative considerations.
The Bureau Journal’s Analysis
The figures contained in the procurement notice show that the 28 secondary school projects are not evenly distributed among Kogi State’s 21 LGAs.
Kogi Central has five LGAs but receives 12 projects, while Kogi East and Kogi West have 16 LGAs combined and receive 16 projects.
The distribution, on its own, does not establish that the allocation was politically motivated or improperly made. There may be technical criteria behind the selection that are not contained in the procurement notice.
However, the scale of the disparity is sufficient to warrant public scrutiny and an explanation from the relevant authorities.
The key question is therefore: What objective needs-assessment formula was used to determine why five Kogi Central LGAs should receive 12 projects while the nine LGAs in Kogi East receive only nine?
Publishing the selection criteria, assessment results and justification for the allocations would provide clarity and help strengthen public confidence in the AGILE programme.
The Bureau Journal will continue to monitor the issue and report responses from the Kogi State Government, the AGILE programme authorities, the World Bank and other relevant stakeholders.
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