By 
By Tayo ABIOLA
The rehabilitation of the Okeho-Iganna road in Kajola local government area of Oyo State will reportedly commence in March of this year.
The lawmaker representing Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola, and Iwajowa in the House of Representatives, Hon Najemdeen Oyedeji, popularly called ‘O’Shine,’ has announced on Tuesday during an interactive session with journalists in Okeho, Kajola local government.
According to him, the road will ease the troubles experienced by residents of Okeho, Iganna, and other communities bordering the local government, helping business interests transport their goods to the cities more efficiently.
The lawmaker stated that the plan to convert various large farms across the federal constituency into farm estates has been implemented.
Oyedeji pointed out that his plan for his constituents is to build on the success of Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde’s agenda of transforming big farm settlements into farm estates.
This effort aims to promote the efforts of farmers to increase their yields and attract more youths to agriculture.
“I want to expose the major farm areas in our federal constituency to development; this is why we have taken all necessary steps to commence work on the rehabilitation of the Okeho-Iganna road, which will start in March this year.
“In the next three and a half years, we will introduce many incentives to ensure our farmers have no reason to abandon their farms.
“We have gathered enough data about the sizes of major farms in the four local government areas constituting this constituency, and we will begin by providing incentives like portable water, financial empowerment, and motorable farm roads promptly.
“We will capitalize on opening up the feeder roads, fix many moribund water projects so that our farmers will not drink from the same source as cattle again.
“In the area of security, we understand that the security agencies have their control bases from the top in Abuja, but we will work with stakeholders to pre-empt crises between farmers and herders through frequent dialogues among farmers, herders, community elders, and other stakeholders, ensuring that there are no crises.”
Regarding educational development, Oyedeji informed that 138 students from the constituency will benefit from his special scholarship scheme in the next three years. He hinted that a scholarship award board with no political coloration would be given the task of screening beneficiaries, who would be those genuinely in need of support.
He further stated that he had concluded plans to grant scholarships to forty-two students annually to study at SAF Polytechnic, Iseyin, while each of the University of Ibadan, The Polytechnic Ibadan, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH), and the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, would have one candidate each annually as well.
“In the next three years, we will be awarding scholarships to forty-two students annually at SAF Polytechnic, one each for the University of Ibadan, Polytechnic Ibadan, LAUTECH, and Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, totaling 138 beneficiaries in the three years, by God’s grace.”
While promising to install 80 percent of solar boreholes in the farm settlements, he said 20 percent of the projects would be located in towns around the federal constituency. Additionally, a cooperative farmers’ society would be established to provide financial assistance to farmers.
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