Before the curtains falls on Capt Idris Wada’s administration on 27th January, here are Some Major Sectoral Achievements of the Wada’s administration.
•Roads:
Construction and rehabilitation of over 700kms of Roads including Welcome to Lokoja – International Market Road, Lokoja Township Road, Ganaja-Otokiti Bypass road, Odenyi-Oguma-Sheria road, Ankpa-Okaba road, Idah Township, Ogaminana-Obangede-Kabba Junction roads, etc.
•Established and equipped Kogi State Road Maintenance Agency
(KOGROMA) which is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that roads in the Stare are motorable.
•On-going construction of 500 Housing Units Estate – 282 units nearing completion.
•Water Schemes: Kabba Dam resuscitation, Ozi Dam resuscitation, Rehabilitation of water schemes in Ankpa, Idah, Egbe, Isanlu, Agaliga, Imane, Ajaka, Oguma, Ogori & Magongo, Obangede, Aiyetoro-Gbede, Okegboro, Idoji North.
•Rural Electrification: Over 250 communities have been electrified, and many others are on-going.
•Rural Water Projects: More than 300 communities have been provided with bore holes.
•Monthly payment of 100 million Naira as maintenance fee for Lokoja City Water projects. The residents of Lokoja do not pay government for water. Local Engineers have been recruited to understudy the Chinese Engineers so they can take-over maintenance.
HEALTH
•On-going construction of 250-bed Kogi State University Teaching Hospital in Anyigba to boost provision of healthcare services and also boost inward medical tourism as facility is being developed in conjunction with Indian Consultants.
•Construction and equipment of Diagnostics and Imaging Centre at the State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja.
•Quarterly rural free medical programme – over 120,000 beneficiaries since inception to date.
•Winner of the Bill Gates Foundation award for best performing State in North Central on Immuization.
•Renovation and upgrading of all Zonal Hospitals around the State.
•Construction of 65-bed Odu Orthopaedic Hospital – Phase I almost completed.
•Construction of 30-bed Model Community Hospitals in all three Senatorial Districts of the State: Ofugo, Ihima and Koton-Karfe.
•Upgrading of Central Medical Stores
•Establishment of revolving fund for drugs.
•Upgrading National Blood Transfusion Centre in Lokoja
•Facilitated procurement of dialysis machine for use in the State
•Upgrading and accreditation of College of Nursing Obangede and Kogi State College of Health Sciences and Technology Idah
•Upgrading of hospitals in 21 Local Government Areas of the State.
•Provision of ambulances to various hospitals.
EDUCATION
•Upgrading facilities of legacy schools across the State
•Upgrading of facilities at State Tertiary Institutions – provision of hostels, libraries, equipped laboratories, provision of water etc
•Establishment of the Nigerian Korean Friendship Vocational Institute.
•Establishment of College of Medical Science and Faculty of Education – Kogi State University.
•Upgrading of facilities at over 300 schools in various communities around the State.
•Training of Teachers in conjunction with reputable organizations like the British Council and the National Mathematical Centre.
•Sponsorship of students to National and International competitions. Students from the State represented the country in Russia and India, and won medals.
•Payment of scholarship to bonafide students of Kogi origin in higher institutions; web portal launched.
•Sponsorship of Kogi State students to Nigerian Institute of Power Technology at Vietnam.
TRANSPORTATION
•Developed a comprehensive master plan for the State (water and land transportation systems). First phase –subsidized transport system in Lokoja – over 60% reduction in transport fares. 1st publicly subsidized transport system in the nation. Fares were reduced from N150.00 to N50.00 in Lokoja.
•Establishment of the first central park in the Sate – 515 vehicles capacity, accommodation facilities, filling station etc. Will be central hub for transportation in Kogi Nigeria. This park to be named the Lokoja Mega Terminal will be the first facility of its kind in North Central Nigeria. The Terminal will have revenue generating potential of about 400m per annum to the State.
AGRICULTURE
•Establishment of 20,000 hectares pilot rice farm for the production of confluence super rice. Rice development is a tool for promoting the engagement of Kogi youth and rural dwellers in farming activities. Yield so far between 300-500MT per annum.
•Cassava farm and processing plants across the State has made the State to become the largest cassava growing State in Nigeria. This has attracted Cargill USA to partner with the State, Federal Government and World Bank to establish the staple crop processing zone in Alape.
Establishment of youth operated cassava and rice processing centres around the State.
•Facilitation of the establishment of private agricultural initiatives like the 20,000 Ha BUA Sugarcane plantation and the 30,000 Ha Dangote Rice Plantation amongst many others.
•Upgrading of warehouses for cashew handling centres. This has enabled cashew farmers get better pricing for their raw cashew nuts.
•Provision of agricultural loans, inputs, tractors and extension services to farmers through Stage Government funds.
•Provision of agricultural loans to farmers in conjunction with Bank of Agriculture.
•Empowerment and encouragement of fish farming (aqua culture) – 3500 fish farmers have accessed Government’s support.
•Procurement of land clearing equipment for clearing farmlands in the Local Government Areas.
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
•Eradication of youth restiveness
•Youth reorientation programme: YAD 4KOGI – Over 10,000 youth trained till date
•Monthly unemployment allowances given to 15,000 youths in the past 3 years
•Establishment of Nigerian Korean Vocational Centre in conjunction with KOICA (KOREA International Cooperation Agency). First of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa. The centre will provide opportunity for vocational skills training for our unemployed youth.
CULTURE AND TOURISM
•Restoration of Historic Sites around the State – Mounti-Patti, Lord Lugard residence, etc.
•Remodeling of Kogi Hotels for tourism and other hospitality services.
PEACE AND SECURITY
•Establishment of the State Security fund in conjunction with the private sector
•Provision of vehicles and equipment for the security forces
•Provision of befitting accommodation for security personnel
•Supporting activities of security forces to curb violence in the State
•Zero tolerance for thuggery and violence
•Financial reward for information on Kidnappers to curb activities of kidnappers in the State.
REVENUE GENERATION
•Increased IGR from just under 200 million Naira to N550 million Naira that is over 150% increase without increasing tax burden on citizens resident in the State. This was achieved through the blocking of loopholes in revenue collection by ensuring e-collection and diversifying the revenue base of the State.
•Systematic effort with British DFID to restructure revenue generation in the State.
•Sponsored and signed the Public Private Partnership law
•Aggressive drive to attract investments in agriculture, solid minerals, transport, etc.
•The government has a deliberate policy of encouraging PPP investments and investment in revenue generating projects like the 11-storey Kogi House in Abuja; the Lokoja Ultra modern Terminal; the 250 bed Teaching Hospital; Kogi State GIS Project; Upgrading of Kogi State Liaison office, Lagos; Allo Cement Factory Itobe, and many others.
42 MoUs signed till date including:
•Cargill USA group – (Agro Industrial), Cassava to sweetener and starch at Staple Crop Processing Zone at Alape
•Dangote Rice Ltd – Rice plantation, milling and bagging
•Ethanol Micro distelleries – Production of 2000 liters/day ethanol from cassava in 21 LGAs to be used for clean cook stoves
•Chelsea farms ltd. – Cassava to Ethanol production, Itama, Dekina LGA
•Unikane Industries ltd. – Sugarcane plantation and ethanol production, Koton-Karfe
•Crest farm ltd – Cassava to starch production, Lokoja LGA
•BUA Sugar Refinery – Sugar plantation and production of crystallized sugar and ethanol, Bassa LGA
•Confluence solar ltd. (Meliora ltd) – Industrial solar power plant and production of 300MW
•Dangote Sugar ltd. – Sugar plantation and production of crystallized sugar and ethanol in Ibaji LGA
•Confluence sugar ltd. – sugar plantation, processing and housing development
•Oriental resources ltd – Maize production and processing at Igbonla, Lokoja LGA
•Kogi State Mechanic and Spare parts market – commercial spare parts, mechanic market.
•LD Construction Ltd. – Industrial production of precast concretes for housing and construction.
•Cana Resources Ltd. – Commercial Waste to power, Lokoja LGA
•Astra resources Ltd – Coal briquettes production
•Capegate Investment/Coza international ltd. – Integrated farming, industrial park and renewable energy.
•Lighthouse financial services ltd. – Construction of 1500 Housing Units in various locations in Lokoja
•Bio-Global Investment Ltd – Resuscitation of confluence fertilizer company, Agbeji, for the production of biodiesel and organic fertilizer from Jathropha seeds
•Ostertrade Engineering and Manufacturing Ltd – Glass plant – 300 tons per day
•Zuma Energy Ltd – Coal to power plant
•Kogi Oil Palm Ltd – Oil palm plantation milling and processing.
SOLID MINERALS
•Establishment of one stop investment shop
•Conducted the first comprehensive geological survey to facilitate investments in the solid minerals sector
•Provision of incentives – Access to land with necessary titles.
Facilitation of exploration of minerals through the necessary Federal Agencies.
WOMEN DEVELOPMENT
•Establishment of women micro-credit scheme. N100m disbursed to women traders in pilot scheme (Lokoja)
•Provision of Grants to Women across the State.
•Gender and Equity Bill passed
SPORTS
•Completion of Confluence Stadium
•Resuscitation of moribund Kogi United and Confluence Queens FCs
HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
•Prioritisation of civil servants salaries. State civil servants have been paid on or before the 25th of every month since the advent of this administration. State started facing challenges in April when there was a sharp downturn in monthly allocations; but the State is still doing very well among its peers.
•Encouraging E-governance by provision of laptops for the State Teachers
•Various training and capacity building workshops for State civil servants.
•Enforcement of employment embargo since the inception of this administration, except in special cases like recruitment of health personnel, recruitment of hydro-Engineers to understudy the expatriate managers of the Lokoja Water Project.
•Standardisation of Public Service Examination through cooperation with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) Badagry, Lagos State.
PENSION AND GRATUITY
•At inception, this administration met over 14 billion Naira backlog of pensions and gratuity dating back to 1990. The pension backlogs were serviced with up to 450 million Naira monthly, while gratuity payments were doubled to 50 million naira monthly. Currently, all pension backlogs have been cleared. Gratuity arrears have also been
paid from 1991 – 2000.
URBANISATION OF LOKOJA
•The 2012 floods exposed the vulnerability of Lokoja to natural disaster. Billions of Naira investments like the Greater Lokoja Water Works, Confluence Beach Hotel, NATACO to Ganaja road were damaged by the floods. As a result, the Wada administration applied for the UN-HABITAT City resilience profiling project. Lokoja is the only city in Nigeria that was selected for the UN-HABITA Project. Lokoja is also the only non-national Capital city amongst the 10 other cities that were included in the project from around the world. This 1.3 million dollar project will in addition to developing a master plan, support the State in the provision of modern amenities for the City of Lokoja
and three other cities in the State.
•Development of a new layout for Lokoja – Due to lack of adherence to urban planning regulations in the past and the legal issues that could arise from the relocation of traditional settlements like Kabawa, the Wada Administration embarked on a Lokoja Phase 2 Project. This phase 2 project is being flagged-off with the construction of the new 16km Ganaja – Otokiti road. The phase 2 project will be a better planned city with modern infrastructure.
•Construction of a properly managed dumpsite. Lokoja never had a dumpsite before the advent of this administration. Provision of waste evacuation trucks and continuous advocacy for clean environment are
part of the institutional support by the Government.
•Resumption of monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
•Only State in Nigeria that has constructed a post-flood housing estate and has distributed it to flood victims
•Customized emergency tents stocked in case of future occurrence.
•Construction of embankment to protect multi-billion naira investment in Lokoja water works.
•Shoreline protection at Lokoja to prevent further damage to various projects – roads, Confluence Beach Hotel, etc. The shoreline protection project is ongoing at Kabawa area Lokoja. The project has the added benefit of the beautification and the provision of a mini-Beach at the Lokoja waterfront.
PUBLIC SECTOR REFORMS AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
•In line with its core values anchored on probity, integrity, accountability and zero tolerance for corruption, the Wada Administration has embarked on the Public Sector Reforms and Development Project.
•This project is backed by the World Bank and is aimed at supporting the Kogi State Government reform its Public Finance Management, Human Resource Management and Monitoring and Evaluation Systems.
•These Reforms have led to the:
*Adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)
*Improvement of the quality of general purpose financial reporting by Public Sector entities
*Better-informed assessment of the resource allocation decisions made by government.
*The signing into law of the Kogi State Public Procurement Act.
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
•Construction of 11-storey Kogi House in Abuja. Kogi was the only State that did not have a ‘State House’ in Abuja. Land for the purpose was converted to ‘personal revenue generating’ use by unscrupulous elements. After a long tussle, Kogi regained possession of the land and entered a Joint Venture Agreement with a Chinese firm. When
completed, the building is expected to be a huge revenue earner for the State.
•Upgrading of dilapidated Stage Government lodges in Abuja and Lagos
•Construction of modern abattoir – first in the State’s history
•Establishment of the State Bureau of Statistics paving way for partnership between Kogi State and major financial institutions.
•Upgrading of Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation and its four radio booster stations in Lokoja, Egbe, Ochaja, Otite.
•Resuscitation of Government Printing Department and establishment of modern printing press in Lokoja.
•Aggressive rural development drive through the creation of the Ministry of Rural Development.
•Support for Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency. (KGCSDA)
•Establishment of Kogi State Micro-Credit Agency to facilitate the provision of micro-credit facilities in the State.
•Establishment of modern environmental laboratory suite
– Mike Abu, Lokoja
