Kogi @31: The Indelible Legacies I’ll be Leaving – Gov Bello
By Nafisat Bello
Governor Yahaya Bello, in commemoration of Kogi State’s 31st anniversary, has enumerated his outstanding achievements in office, since becoming the Chief Executive Officer of The Confluence State, in 2016.
He also promised to bequeath lasting legacies of good governance and service leadership, that will be remembered in years to come.
Kogi was created on 27th August 1991, from parts of Kwara and Benue States.
In his message to the people of State on the occasion of the anniversary celebration, Bello, said that Kogi has come a long way from her humble and early beginning.
“On this 31st Anniversary of the creation of our state I have chosen to recount our achievements because I want all Kogites to not only see an oasis of forthright leadership in the land, but to also find reason to face the future with hope and optimism.
“Kogi State has come a long way from her early beginnings. The combined efforts of past and present Kogites have been the building blocks of our hopes and aspirations. While we cannot deny that leadership has failed this state and her people many times in the past, we also have to acknowledge that development is gradually penetrating into all nooks and crannies of our land.
“We appreciate our founding fathers and those persons, leaders and citizens alike, who have gone before. They are the giants on whose shoulders we stand. We also thank those who are working alongside us today, both in and out of Government over the last 6-and-a-half years.
“There is plenty of evidence that what we have accomplished in this Administration has helped to leapfrog progress in our state today. This has not happened by chance. As you know, we came to Government with a well defined Blueprint and massive political will determined to make a positive difference for you.
“By making security of lives and properties a constant priority, we are in a great position to attract and keep new residents and new investments in our economy. Moreover, by demonstrating to criminals that it is foolish and fatal to ply their trade in Kogi State, we continue to render a service to the rest of the country by keeping the highways between the north and the south of this country open to all citizens.
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“Let me reiterate that my Administration will not take kindly to persons, no matter how highly placed, who get involved in crimes, either as perpetrators or patrons. This includes resorting to violence to assert any alleged individual or community rights. Traditional rulers have been empowered to handle all genuine grievances over community land and other rights and they know the channels to easily escalate them upstairs where it falls outside their scope.
“By making our education sector topnotch we improve our human development indices from basic through to tertiary education levels. We have founded new schools, including the Confluence University of Science and Technology, (CUSTECH), renovated existing ones and improved both access to educational opportunities and the performance of our students in both internal and external examinations.
“It is also important to note that since the last strike by university lecturers in this state ended over 5 years ago, our university students have enjoyed uninterrupted academic calendars.
“Our health sector is growing exponentially too under our careful management. Hundreds of our Primary Healthcare Centres have been renovated and we have ultramodern secondary and tertiary hospitals springing up in all the Senatorial Districts well equipped.
“We have set up a health insurance agency and facilitated free registration for thousands of our citizens. Our endgame is to make Kogi State the number one Health Tourism destination in Nigeria.
“By investing heavily in roads, bridges and other civil engineering infrastructure, including the completed first flyover in Kogi State, we have tried to improve the quality of life available in our cities, major towns and rural areas.
“We have tried to provide good governance across board and these success stories are to a great extent replicated in agriculture and other sectors. For the first time perhaps, the presence of Government is felt by the widest cross-section of our people under one Administration.
“Our overall aim right from the first term remains unchanged and it is captured in our mission statement, which is to develop Kogi State into Nigeria’s foremost and most secure emerging commercial hub through optimization of the state’s geographical location, natural endowments and human resources for a sustainable future.
“I will continue to dedicate the time remaining in this second term to doing more in line with our mandate and electoral promises and also ensure, at the appropriate time, transition to a new Administration which understands, owns and will pursue the same broad visions of structured and accelerated development of the State in all her constituencies,” part of Gov. Bello’s message reads.
