It Is Our Policy To Take Development To Rural Areas, Kogi Govt »

The Kogi State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to taking development to the grassroots, stressing that the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is deliberately prioritizing rural infrastructure, healthcare, education, and agricultural development across the state.

This was made known on Monday during the commencement of a statewide media tour of projects across the three senatorial districts of Kogi state, put together by the Ministry of Information and Communications. The tour, which kicked off in Mopamuro and Kabba-Bunu Local Government Areas, featured inspections of road projects, healthcare facilities, the Kogi State University, Kabba, model secondary schools, and other key projects.

Speaking to journalists in Mopamuro LGA, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Muhammed Yusuf, explained that Governor Ododo has directed the Kogi State Road Maintenance Agency (KOGROMA) to construct 10 kilometres of road in every local government area of the state. He noted that the roads are already at various stages of completion across the state.

According to him, the administration’s interventions have revived roads abandoned for decades, including the 1.2km Ileteju Mopa road which had been left unattended for over 20 years. The project, constructed with a triple-layer system and solid drainage, now connects several communities previously cut off due to its dilapidated state.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo, said the present administration has moved away from “armchair inspections” to on-the-spot project assessments to ensure quality delivery. He emphasized that rural dwellers are now feeling the real impact of governance.

“This government is committed to decentralizing good governance and ensuring that people at the grassroots take ownership of development projects. With KOGROMA’s direct involvement, we are also reducing costs significantly”, Fanwo stated.

A resident of Mopamuro, Mr. Daniel Tope, who expressed gratitude for the reconstructed roads, revealed that the Ileteju road had been awarded in 2012 but never constructed until the intervention of the Ododo administration.

In the health sector, the government has commenced the remodeling of 256 primary healthcare facilities across the 239 wards of the state. Facilities inspected included the Iletu-Mopa Primary Healthcare Centre and the newly built primary healthcare centre in Ayegunle-Igun, Kabba-Bunu LGA.

Fanwo explained that while the immediate past administration invested in secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, the present administration is focusing on primary healthcare in rural areas to improve grassroots access to quality health services.

“Before now, people came in with malaria and risked leaving with typhoid because of the state of our facilities. But today, Governor Ododo has overhauled the health system. This initiative will reduce maternal mortality rates and strengthen healthcare delivery across all 21 local governments,” he added.

On education, the media team inspected ongoing and completed projects at Kogi State University, Kabba. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Temitope Eniola, commended the governor for supporting the institution, describing it as one of the fastest-growing universities in Nigeria. Projects inspected included a completed administrative building, an ongoing Senate building, male and female hostels, and renovations at the Mass Communication and Theatre Arts departments.

Similarly, the GYB Model Science Secondary School project at Okebukun, Kabba-Bunu, is nearing completion. Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones, said the facility is part of the administration’s commitment to consolidating and expanding the legacies of former Governor Yahaya Bello in the education sector.

Another highlight of the tour was the inspection of the Kabba gully erosion control and reclamation project at Omogbo, Kabba-Bunu, under the ACReSAL initiative. The project has restored lands previously lost to annual flooding, bringing relief to affected residents.

Several community members who spoke during the tour lauded the Ododo administration for bringing long-awaited dividends of democracy to their doorsteps.

The tour which will proceed to other parts of the state is expected to bring to fore more of the projects being executed at the grassroots by the Ododo administration.