Few months from now, the tenure of Captain Idris Ichalla Wada, the Executive Governor of Kogi State will come to an end, with his dream of returning for a second term.
Many in 2012 including this writer saw his coming as a beginning of good leadership and development which the State suffered its paucity during the tenure of his predecessor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris. He is armed with intimidating credentials as an M.sc. holder, eloquent speaker and career civil servant that got to the pinnacle of civil service as a proficient aviator.
Though, he is highly knowledgeable, but mercurial and voluble. Since
the Country’s return to democracy in 1999, Kogi state have not fared
well nor endowed with a kind of leadership and development anticipated
by the masses despite the huge allocations it received from federation
account.
We have been hurt, and we have been disillusioned. We have
seen a wall go up that separates us from our own government. We have
lost some precious things that historically bond us and our government
together. We have been a State wandering for too long.
Every honest Kogite as well as those whose domestic and personal bills
were oiled by the state’s treasury will concur that our State fell
beneath the bar in Nigeria that dividends of democracy and good
governance have not been so palatable. When you look at Kogi State
from 2012-date, it’s the same as the Kogi State of 2003 to 2011. For
example, while many States in the Country were busy revamping federal
roads, the reverse is the case of ours under the governor. From any
route one chooses to access Kogi State, the poor road network is the
first gauge to substantiate the poor performances of the Governor.
A journey from Idah-Anyigba, Ochadamu-Idah, Egbe-Kabba-Okene-Lokoja,
Kabba-Obajana,
Ajaokuta-Itobe, and Iyara-Iyamoye road will tell the deplorable
condition of our roads in the State. Virtually the Governor’s
administration doesn’t have enough trace to justify the billions of
naira’s been channeled to the sectors. Today, majority of Schools in
the State look more of the abandoned farm houses, where by the
renovation and equipping of Hospitals across the state has remained
the responsibility of National Primary Health Care Development Agency
(NPHCDA) and Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s).
Under the out-going administration, the capital projects and Staff
development at the State’s owned tertiary institutions have been taken
over by Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), while construction
and renovation of Primary and Secondary Schools were carried out by
Millennium Development Goal’s (MDG’s), Universal Basic Education
Commission (UBEC), community efforts, private individuals and
political office holders mostly legislatures at the State and National
Assembly who embark on the projects to enable them have an evidence
for their re-election bids.
The State despite with landmass of 32,440sq.km with a good climate and
soil that is fertile with capacity to produce virtually all of
Nigeria’s stable crops such as Rice, Yam, Cassava, Beans, Millet,
Guinea-Corn, Soya-Beans, Maize, Wheat, Sweet-Potatoes, also with ample
prospects for grazing, fishing, forestry and opportunities for the
establishment of large scale farms in each of the Senatorial zone
which will lead to job creation, transfer of skills and technology
were never utilized by the Incumbent administration. The situation is
so pathetic that hardly any of the 21 Local Government Councils today
can boast of a single functional tractor. Lack of access to water
supply has gotten to a peak; the case of Lokoja, Idah, and
Anyigba is pathetic as the residents can’t recall last when water run
through their taps. The population of water cage pushers which are
very glaring in every nook and cranny of Lokoja is a clear evidence of
the obscurity the residents faced over water scarcity. In fact, prior
to the coming of the Governor in 2012, 20 litres of water cost 10
Naira, but today it goes for N50. This was a sector the Govenor claims
to have invested billions of Naira.
The most awful situation is our State which was created in 1991 is now
wadding behind Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Nasarawa, Gombe, Ekiti and Zamfara
States that were created in 1996 in terms of physical and human
development. Even the States of Yobe and Bornu that is engulfed with
insurgent crisis for past three years has accomplished better than us.
The out- going Governor today cannot tell the people of Kogi State the
number schools that were constructed, equipped or renovated since
2012, number of hospitals that were constructed, equipped or renovated
since 2012, number of communities that were provided with electricity
since 2012, number of Kogites that were offered foreign scholarship as
did by other Northern States, number of communities that where
provided with portable drinking water since 2012 and number of times
fertilizers, seedlings and pesticides where purchase and sold at
subsidize rates to the farmers since 2012 under his leadership. Apart
from the Governor unfulfilled promises, the state is owing over 45
Billion.
The political earthquake of 28 March, 2015 that rocked the entire
country is a sufficient raison d’être that it’s not going to be
business as usual. It’s indisputable fact that the Governor deserves a
cold farewell from the people of Kogi State.
– Balogun Emmanuel Funsho
President Okun Student’s Union (2014/2015), University Of Ilorin Chapter, Ilorin.
07034444976,
irule9ja@gmail.com
