"Dr Ogbo is a good advertisement for Kogi citizens 'can do' spirit - Gov Bello showers applause on state poly Rector »

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has described the Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Dr Usman Salisu Ogbo as ‘a good advertisement’ for the state citizens ‘can do spirit’.

He made the statement in an address he delivered on Thursday at the campus of the institution to commission some flagship projects embarked upon by the Rector just under 100 days since his assumption of office.

The Governor used the opportunity to charge other citizens of the state to make hard work and dedication their watch word as his administration would not condone any laxity in efforts to deliver the goods to citizens through officially assigned responsibilities.

Bello, who said his government was committed to ensuring it gives its best to the people in this second term noted that his government was satisfied with the performance of the Rector and would give him new responsibilities.

According to him, Dr Ogbo had made lemonade from the lemon he had been handed by the system, rather than complaining, saying that through personal initiative, he was able to mobilise resources to carry out the project earmarked for commissioning.

The Governor promised the Rector that his confirmation as the substantive head of the institution was imminent, a statement that sent the Polytechnic community into frenzy.

Governor Bello had warned land grabbers, who he said have tampered with educational infrastructure across the state, saying they had taken over lands, including recreational spaces provided for institutions from primary, secondary to tertiary and promised to deal with culprits in no distant time.

He said his love for education was not negotiable and promised to do more for that sector in order to improve it.

Dr Usman Ogbo had earlier paid glowing tributes to the Governor for finding him worthy for the appointment, saying it was the first he was seeing Governor Bello in public and thanked the administration for the opportunity to serve.

He said Governor Bello’s concept of a new Kogi was working as has been adopted in all facets of leadership in Kogi State Polytechnic under him, assuring that the EBIGO philosophy is healing the traditional fault lines of inherited diversity. “We are bold to say that we have gone far on the project of regenerating a bonded family out of this formal community,” Dr Ogbo stated.

“Your Excellency, motivated by your magnanimous facilitations, we were able to hit the ground running and within this period, we have been able to map out the needs of this esteemed institution and have accordingly prioritized them. Indeed, within 100 days in office and beyond, we have been able to make some modest contributions in a number of areas including the Health Centre and the Security House which Your Excellency is graciously here to commission today.

“While we still consider other areas of needs to be very vital, Our ranking of the above two projects was occasioned by the evident gaps. For instance, we were worried that despite the growing population of statf and students on a yearly basis, the Polytechnic had maintained a “three-bed” cottage clinic and a “three-cubicle” security office that could hardly respond to their specialized needs.

“Thus, we summoned courage by converting and remodeling the Old Library to a modern Health Centre with a total of 30-bed capacity and other in-patient facilities against the 3-bed clinic we inherited. We wish to reiterate that we envisioned the extension of these facilities to meet the health needs of the host community and to boost our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).”

He highlighted some other achievements recorded under him including beautification of the gate and walls of the institution among others and appealed to the Governor to facilitate the recruitment of redeployment of at least three (3) Doctors to join the only one (1) we have on our payroll to ensure ease in treatment of students, staff and the immediate enviroument.
He added that the institution needed recruitment/Redeployment of at least four (4) experienced nurses, two (2) mid-wives, two (2) Medical Laboratory Scientists two (2) Pharmacists, a Radiographer and two X- ray technicians to join the few we have so as to ensure ease of treatment and enhanced service delivery;

Dr Ogbo also said they needed provision of X-ray machines and other hospital equipments, two (2) Ambulances for our two Medical Centres in Lokoja and Itakpe and Provision oftwo (2) Hilux vehicles for Joint Intelligence Patrol Team (JTPAT) for Lokoja and ltakpe campus, among others.

The Governor promised to look into them immediately.