2023: Nigeria needs Governor Bello

Hon. Wemi Jones, Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, has said that he wished Nigerians had listened to Governor Yahaya Bello when he advised against total lockdown in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

Jones, who stated this when he received in audience the management team of the State Newspaper Corporation, publishers of the Graphic, said that given the benefit of hindsight, Governor Bello knew that the decision would be most disastrous for Nigeria whose economy was a delicate one.

The Commissioner said that it is now clear to discerning minds that the Governor’s stance on the pandemic was never driven by personal agenda but rather in the overall interest of the country, adding that the Governor has consistently displayed rare leadership acumen and with a higher responsibility thrusted on his shoulders, Nigeria would not remain the same.

According to him, the rating of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council that Kogi is the best investment destination in 2020, remains an eloquent testimony of the Governor’s patriotic zeal and foresight.

He said the calls by Nigerians for the Governor to take a shot at the Presidency in 2023, is not misplaced, nothing that given his leadership style and commitment to national good, Nigerians could not have made a better choice.

Describing his boss as a detribalised Nigerian with a penchant for due process, Jones said the country needs his type to move to its next level of development.

He revealed that the Governor’s zero tolerance for criminality of any kind, his stance on COVID-19 and commitment to good governance, has lifted the state on the part of sustainable socio-economic growth and prosperity.

While describing the media as too important to ignored, the Commissioner called on media practitioners to align themselves with policies and programmes of government that could result in the overall wellbeing of the country and its citizens.

Jones said the country in 2020, lost so much ground to COVID-19 pandemic, noting that for his Ministry, 2021 was going to be a very busy year and appealed to the management of the Graphic to help publicise its activities.

On the request of The Graphic to partner the Ministry in a number of ways, the Commissioner assured that it would readily do so, especially once such partnership would mean improved revenue generation to the government.

Earlier, the Managing Director of Kogi State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Dayo Thomas, had said that the media, beyond being a channel of informing, educating, and entertaining, also moulds the mind and articulate interests.

He disclosed that the organization was working on a partnership with the Ministry to build a responsive platform to coordinate stakeholders in the education sector.

Also speaking, the Executive Editor, Mr James Oyewole, applauded the vision behind the establishment of the Confluence University of Science and Technology, and commended the Ministry for running with the vision.