A civil society organisation has called on the Kogi State Government to urgently address gaps in infrastructure, media support, housing, sanitation and accountability, as the state marked its 35th anniversary of creation on August 27.
In a press statement issued to mark the milestone, the Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR) said that despite 35 years of existence — spanning four military and four civilian administrations, including one Acting Governor — Kogi remains without a state-owned television station, a gap the group described as unacceptable “in this 22nd century.”
The organisation’s Executive Director, Idris Miliki Abdul, said the state government could not claim to be accountable to citizens “when it fails to invest in media institutions,” pointing to the prolonged shutdown of Grace FM in Lokoja, which he said has been off air for more than a year without government intervention.
He called on citizens to demand greater accountability from their leaders.
Water, Roads and Housing Under Scrutiny
The group described the water situation in Lokoja as “worrisome and disappointing,” noting the irony that the state capital sits at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers yet continues to struggle with water supply.
CHRCR also criticised the condition of roads across the state, saying potholes remain a defining feature of the network even within the capital. On housing, the group noted that although the current administration created a Ministry of Housing to public applause, no housing policy or estate has materialised in any local government area more than two and a half years into the administration’s tenure.
The organisation urged the government to review its relationship with privately owned cement factories operating in the state, calling for arrangements that would yield greater benefit for infrastructure and housing development.
Abandoned Tourism Assets, Absence of Industry
The statement singled out the state-owned Confluence Beach and Kogi Hotels as abandoned projects that could otherwise generate employment and revenue, and renewed a longstanding call for the development of Mount Patti — the historic site after which Nigeria is said to derive its name — as a tourism asset. CHRCR urged the governor to personally visit and assess the location’s potential.
The group further noted that Kogi has no industrial layout and no single state-established industry after 35 years, a gap it said has deprived residents of employment opportunities.
Appointments, Palliatives and Unpublished Laws Questioned
CHRCR raised concern over what it called more than 1,000 appointments made by the current administration, questioning their justification and impact amid what it described as economic stagnation. “What contributions, input and impact [do] these unnecessary appointees” make, the group asked, urging the governor to prioritise economic development over political patronage ahead of the 2027 elections.
On social welfare, the group said palliatives had been distributed based on political considerations rather than through the state’s existing Social Protection Register, citing the absence of a formal Social Protection Policy to guide distribution.
The statement also noted that laws passed by the Kogi State House of Assembly are not being gazetted, leaving citizens without access to legislation that affects them. Separately, CHRCR pointed out that the state’s Anti-Corruption Law — passed by the Assembly and signed by the governor over a year ago — has yet to result in the establishment of an anti-corruption agency, and called on the governor to revisit the process without further delay.
Security Gains Acknowledged
The group commended recent improvements in the state’s security architecture and urged the government to sustain the gains by involving communities more directly in security outreach.
Recommendations
CHRCR outlined a set of recommendations for the state government.
The civil society organization called for the establishment of a state television station to promote transparency and accountability, and called on Kogi state government to approach housing development as a commercial investment rather than an expense.
CHRCR called for review and upgrading the Social Protection Register alongside a formal social investment policy.
It also suggested the convening of an environmental conference to identify challenges and develop an intervention strategy amid what the group called deteriorating sanitary conditions in Lokoja; and strengthening land, water and air transportation, citing Kogi’s boundaries with ten other states and the Federal Capital Territory as an economic advantage.
