Nairobi-based Kogi youths under the aegis of Kogi Youths in Nairobi, has pledged to contribute positively to the success of the administration of the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in order to move the state forward.
The youth group made the pledge while receiving in audience the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Kogi State, Kingsley Fanwo in Nairobi, Wednesday, saying, the state has the greatest opportunity of getting it right under the leadership of a youthful, dynamic and vibrant Alhaji Yahaya Bello. They urged the Governor to take tough decisions to set the state free from leaders who shamelessly embezzled the commonwealth of the Kogi people.
Speaking on behalf of the group, its spokesman, Adewale Ogungbemi said the time for Kogi redemption has come, urging all Kogites to “file behind the man who has made history to emerge as the youngest Governor ever in the history of the state”, adding that Kogi State must change for better from now.
“We are monitoring events back home and the early signs have been encouraging. Kogi has no reason to be poor because mineral resources are scattered around the state. Our land can grow virtually any kind of crop and we have one of the most resourceful population in the country. The reason for our poverty is because previous leaders lacked ideas to move the state forward. They were only interested in stealing the commonwealth of the people to build hotels around the world.
“Let me mention here that we are aware of the efforts of the Governor at sanitizing the Lokoja metropolis and the civil service. A cleaner Lokoja will surely attract more tourists and investments that will create jobs for the youths. We want to urge our amiable Governor to also put pressure on the Federal Government to complete the Ajaokuta Steel project n order to create jobs for thousands of Kogites and Nigerians in general.
“On the Civil Service reforms, we are 100% behind the Governor. Ghost workers must be discovered and prosecuted for economic crimes while funds should be freed to engage in massive capital development across the state”.
While responding, Fanwo thanked the group for their support to the Governor of Kogi State and for following events in the young administration, saying their patriotism would not go unnoticed. He said the Governor is on a mission to fix Kogi State, adding that his divine emergence was the handiwork of God to remove the state from her state of shambles.
“Today, I am moved beyond words as I am excited about the fanatical following of events in the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State by the Kogi people here in Nairobi. It is such a patriotic choice. The Governor is on a redemption mission and has tuned the state to a new frequency of New Direction, the direction of development, progress, accountability and social mobilization for change.
“Kogi people are today, more united than ever. The equitable spread of appointments without sacrificing merit has rebound the confidence of our people that we can all work together to make Kogi State better. The first three appointments in the state were spread across the three Senatorial Districts. The Governor has also appointed Special Advisers from each Local Government Area of the state. Ethnic division is a creation of the political class to set our people against one another while they bleed our treasury. This government has cemented the people of our state together. The Local Government Councils in the state was unable to pay their staff more than 25% salaries for four years as their allocations were brazenly deducted by the State Government. The Governor has stopped this and workers at that tier of government now smile home with reasonably high salaries.
“The reason why the Governor has decided to embark on staff audit is to ascertain the actual number of workers who should be on the payroll of government. The state use over 90% of her resources to service the labour force that is less than 15% of her population. Weeding out ghost workers will significantly help to free resources for infrastructural development and social security net. To reduce the cost of governance, the State Government has cut the number of Special Advisers by over 50%. This is aimed at further freeing funds for development”.
He referred to the Governor as a detribalized Nigerian and a successful businessman whose midas touch is expected to turn Kogi around and create jobs for its teeming population. Fanwo also said efforts are on to make Lokoja one of the most attractive state capitals in Nigeria, urging Kogites in diaspora to key into the administration’s drive at developing the investment viability of the state.
