In just one year, His Excellency, The Chief Servant of Kogi State, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is changing Kogi State narrative in all spheres of socio-economic development of the state. His litany of projects and human capital development has continued to litter the state for the good of the people.
One of the Holy books says when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice. This can aptly be said of the Chief Servant of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo whom Allah in his infinite mercies brought to power on January 27, 2024 and in just one year of his administration the people of the state are not only rejoicing but openly dancing to the rhythm of his litany of human and capital development projects across the twenty one Local Government Areas of the state.
Prior to his swearing-in into office on January 27, 2024, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has remained a silent achiever even when he served as the Auditor General Local Government in the state.
Records abound where prior to his ascension as the Executive Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency in his private capacity built hospital in his community where people were being treated free of charge while he bears the huge cost of the medical bills on a daily basis.
At the state capital, it is also on record that in his private capacity, he was allocating funds on a monthly basis to a private medical center in the heart of Lokoja where people irrespective of tribe or colour go on a daily basis to receive medical treatment while he bears the high cost of the treatment on a monthly basis.
One is therefore not surprised that His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo’s humane gesture touched the heart of Allah and in his love lifted him to be Kogi State number one citizen.
His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo’s silent humane disposition is today blown up by his one year Advanced New Direction Administration touch on the lives of the entire Kogi people.
In the last one year, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has placed the health of Kogi people on the front burner. About three weeks ago the governor approved above seven billion naira for the rehabilitation of all the primary care health centers in the twenty one Local Government Areas of the state. This he did because of his firm believe that majority of the citizens of the state live in the rural areas where health care has remained a big problem. Repositioning the primary health care centers across the state is the governor’s positive step to holistically tackle the health care needs of Kogi people.
His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is not a rhetorical leader but well known for his firm actions on germane issues affecting his people.
On the day of his swearing-in, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo said on his inaugural speech ” as we grapple with the challenges of the past, we must reckon that, it is indeed a new beginning and we must therefore work together……”
The governor since the day he was sworn-in into office had left no one in doubt that he is prepared to carry every Kogi State indigene along in his administration. His Excellency has lived up to his words since he assumed office. He has also lived by the unity of purpose he preached on January 27, 2024 during his inaugural speech to the people of the state.
What a lot of people did not know of the personality of His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is his down to earth humility. The paraphernalia of his office had never at anytime pushed him to raise shoulders against the people of the State. Like the former governor of Niger State, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Governor Ododo sees himself as the “CHIEF SERVANT OF KOGI PEOPLE.”
In just one year in office, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has taken Kogi State by the storm in infrastructure and human capital development.
In a bid to ensure that the entire Kogi people have a positive feeling of his administration, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo appointed three Ward Senior Special Assistants among others in all the two hundred and thirty nine wards of the state. This is the first of its kind. No governor in the history of the state has brought government so close to the people living at the grassroots but Governor Ododo did it by this singular political appointments.
Human capital development has remained to be a teething problem for people. The fact remains that Kogi State is known to be a civil service state. With this fact in hand, one of the easiest ways of tackling human capital development in the state is by rewarding the civil servants of the state adequately. To this end, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo on assumption of office paid serious attention to the prompt payment of salaries to the entire civil servants of the state.
In a surprise move the governor erased percentage salaries payment to Local Government workers in the state. Today all the Local Government civil servants in the state are receiving one hundred percent payment of their salaries. As it also stands today, both the state and Local Government workers receive their salaries before the 25th of every month. In festive periods, the entire civil servants in the state receive their salaries on the 14th of the month. This is the first time Kogi State civil servants at the state and Local Government levels are receiving such unprecedented attention from the administration of Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
On enhanced wages, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo was the first to approve and commence the payment of #70,500 new minimum wage in Kogi State and he was the first to do so in the country. His Excellency sees himself as part and parcel of the Kogi State civil service and has continued to identify himself with their plight since he assumed office on January 27, 2024.
On infrastructure development, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo awarded contracts for the construction of township roads in almost all the twenty one Local Government Area headquarters of the state and their environs. At the moment construction works are already ongoing in the Local Government headquarters of the state and their environs.
At the state capital, Lokoja, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo tackled the bad road network. The Zone 8 – Zango – GYB junction was completed with asphalt laying and solar powered light along the road. Another artery of the road from Zone 8 – House of Assembly – Crusher road was also completed with asphalt laying by His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.
In the Education sector, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo paid over six hundred million naira as West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) fees for all the final year students in government owned secondary schools in the state. He also injected over eight billion naira for educational infrastructure development at Kogi State University Kabba. Confluence State University of Science and Technology Osara has also received adequate funding for its infrastructural development. Most of its courses has been given approval by the National University Commission – NUC while the institution now has a teaching hospital. Renovation of classrooms in primary and secondary schools across the state is ongoing.
What’s more His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo few weeks ago personally visited the GYB Model Secondary school Adankolo were he sat with the students in the classroom and supervised the teaching and learning process in the school. No doubt, His Excellency had the feelings of the students and teachers of the school and it provided him the first hand information on what to do on post-primary institutions in the state.
Two weeks ago, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo stopped the tax clearance policy that had hitherto given parents headache in registering their wards in secondary schools in the state. This bold step of the governor endeared him into the hearts of the teeming parents whose wards are in secondary schools in the state.
On the economic development of the state, the governor has taken steps to establish a cargo airstrip at Adogo in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of the state. The governor has sunk millions of naira as soft loans to owners of small and medium enterprises to boost economic activities in the state. Only recently the governor approved the establishment of a new modern market along Okene high way road to enhance productivity and economic activities in the state.
On Agriculture, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo provided tractors, fertilizers, insecticide and pesticides to thousands of farms in the state. This indeed has taken a boost in food production in the state.
To boost industrial revolution in the state, power supply is germane. To this end, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has established the Kogi State Electricity Market Regulatory Commission. The bill for the establishment of the commission was not only passed by the state House of Assembly but has been assented to by the governor and a board has been put in place for the commission. The move is to avoid the total dependency of the state on the federal government for power supply.
On Security, Kogi State has witnessed relative peace since His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo assumed office on January 27, 2024. The governor has been able to build on the security architecture of his predecessor, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello. To this end the governor bought hundreds of security vehicles and distributed them to all the security agencies in the state. The number of Local vigilantes across the twenty one Local Government Areas of the state has been enhanced by the Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo’s led-administration. This indeed has kept the men of the under world from intruding into the state. Kogi State today is a no go area to criminals and is very viable to local and foreign investors.
In boosting democratic dividends at the grassroots, His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo in the last quarter of last year conducted a free and fair Local Government elections in the state. Today all the twenty one Local Government Areas of the state is being administered by democratic structures. While some states in the federation are yet to conduct Local Government elections, Kogi State has put her democratic structures across the state.
Women and youths in the state are part and parcel of the Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration. Majority of the youths in the state have been offered political appointments in Governor Ododo’s administration. The women in the state have a good share in Governor Ododo’s cabinet. The state has a woman Secretary to the state government, commissioners and all the Local Government Vice-Chairmen and Council Leaders in the twenty one Local Government Areas of the state are all women. His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is a gender sensitive governor.
No doubt, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has performed creditably in his one year in office. All segments and stratas of persons in Kogi State are enjoying the dividends of democracy of His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo in office. The state is witnessing good peace because His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is a promise keeper. He has never disappointed Kogi State people on his campaign promises. He is indeed a servant leader in whom Kogi people are well pleased.
As it stands today there is the need for the entire Kogi people to consolidate on the maximum support they have been offering to His Excellency Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo. Together Kogi State shall continue to witness unprecedented development . Together let’s all say – ODODO, ONE GOOD TERM DESERVES ANOTHER
– Hon. Chris Ben-Kato
Senior Special Assistant on Information and Communication Strategy to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo
