KGSG lauds role of elders in governance
By Halimat Isah
Contrary to erroneously held belief among segments of the state, Kogi State Government says it has involved elders in its scheme of governance.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Edward Onoja, made this known in a keynote address he delivered in Lokoja, Friday during the Kogi Mega Youth Dialogue.
Onoja, who mentioned the administration’s constitution of the State’s Elders Advisory Council, which consists of over 270 members, said the council include seasoned technocrats and experienced politicians, said the measure was important in view of respect Governor Yahaya Bello has for the demographic.
He said even though the focus of the administration was the next generation which has informed their commitment towards continuous pace setting in terms of equity and justice in the appointment of people into positions.
Class barriers, he mentioned, have robbed the people the needed capacity to actualise their potential, and called on the youths of the state to take their destinies in their own hands and support the policies and programmes of Governor Bello.
The Chief of Staff noted that no government in the history of Kogi has ever governed the state with the great interest of the people in mind like the present one, adding that in less than two years in office, the administration has had tremendous impact across all sectors in the state.
He explained that the government has tenaciously held on to the implementation of the basic infrastructural needs of the people on assumption of office, a concern that gave birth to its policy document titled; “The New Direction Roadmap.”
“When His Excellency came into power, he immediately swung into action by setting up a committee which went round the 21 Local Government Areas and institutions to discover areas where the government could intervene,” he told the audience.
Continuing, he highlighted that Kogi used to be a den for kidnappers but that the present government has made such sad statistic history, as exemplified by the fact that there has has not been a single case of kidnapping or armed robbery in the state for more than tow months.
He therefore lauded the Governor for his attention on security across the state, saying that the administration plans to sustain the tempo.
“The government understands that a territory that is unsecured cannot attract foreign investors and no meaningful development will take place, thus hampering the social and economic development of such society,” he added.
On the educational front, Onoja lamented the system Bello’s government met on ground, describing it as a system in mess, saying that the state varsity, Kogi State University, currently ranks 42 in the country as against the 85th position it occupied before the present government came on board.
He said; “The GYB model schools are making impact, our tertiary institutions will no longer be shut down because of industrial action by staff, the bursary of our students in tertiary institutions has been increased from 3,500 to 10,500 Naira.
In the Health Sector, the Chief of Staff stated that the situation of Kogi people has been prioritised and given adequate attention as over 300 indigent persons have benefited from the Bello Health Scheme.
“This government has spent not less than a quarter of a billion Naira on the hospital bills of indigent citizens who never knew they could get any intervention from government so easily since assumption of office.”
Onoja stated further that the state was also in shambles in other areas as pot holes were everywhere, there was no Street Lights and that statistics had it Lokoja was the dirtiest of all State Capital in the country, anomalies that have all been correct by the present government.
He said not less than nine quality roads have been constructed and at least another 10 will be commissioned before 2019.
The Chief of Staff, who mentioned that Rural Electrification Projects which has cut across major rural communities in the state have been executed, noted that portable water supply across the state has also seen the light of day.
“You don't have to always be politically right, we had to separate governance from politics, we had to do what was right in the Civil Service and Pensions Reforms. We respect the Civil Service because it is the engine room of every administration.
“Kogi is a work in progress, Governor Bello is setting a standard and in the next six months Kogi Civil service will be adjured the Best Reforming Civil Service Sector in history of Nigeria,” he enthused.
He said on job creation, that competent youths have been empowered and brought on board in this administration, adding that over 2000 youths have been trained as vigilantes, in addition to the over 2,5000 youths empowered that have acquired skills in the area of agriculture.
Onoja stated that the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state has increased from what it used to be, adding that the government has also empowered women and traders with additional one billion Naira being budgeted for women empowerment in this year’s budget.
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