Following the expiration of the tenure of erstwhile governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris which arose from the judgment of the Supreme Court on the tenure of five state governors, Captain Idris Ichalla Wada assumed office as the 9th chief executive of the 2i1 year-old state.
Captain Idris Ichalla Wada, a professional pilot won (he was credited for training the best set of pilots ever produced in Nigeria) the December 3rd, 2011 governorship election and he took the oath of office on 27 January, 2012 alongside his deputy, Architect Yomi Awoniyi, the scion of the late Chief S.B Awoniyi political dynasty, to assume full responsibility as head of the government of Kogi State. He was born 26 August, 1950 (almost sharing the same birth day with the state) to the family of Pa Wada Ejiga, a retired judge of the Upper Area Court. He hails from Odu in Dekina LGA. His mother, Hajiya Rekiya Wada Ejiga of blessed memory hailed from Ogudu in Omala LGA.
He was educated at then Native Authority Primary School, Dekina, Government Secondary School, Dekina and the Federal Government College, Sokoto. He later went to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Training Centre, Zaria to train as a pilot. At different times, he studied at the Air Service Training College, Perth, Scotland, UK and the Bornside-ott Aviation College, Opa-Locka Airport, Miami Florida, USA.
He joined the then national carrier, Nigerian Airways as a line pilot where he attained the peak of his career as “Captain in Command”. He was just 29 years old when he attained the feat. He was to later join the United Air Service (UAS), where he rose to the position of General Manager. He was to later found his own airline Executive Aviation Service (EAS) and thus, became one of the pioneer indigenous airline operators in Nigeria.
Captain Wada was to later bag a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from University of Abuja and capped it with a Master’s degree in the same field. Since coming on board as governor of Kogi State, Captain Wada has sufficiently proved that being the pilot that he is, safety and precision remain cardinal in the drive to take the state out of the woods. The greatest and biggest dream the administration holds for the state is “to see the state emerge as a model of good governance and transformed into one of the top ranking states in the country in terms of rapid and sustainable socio-economic development”.
He may be the one at the driver’s seat but Captain Wada is not under any illusion that he can provide solutions to all the problems of the state all alone. As a confirmation of this fact, the governor has repeatedly voiced out the phrase: “Yomi and I” which connotes partnership and theirs is a partnership that is working.
Also, little wonder, in less than three weeks in office, he inaugurated a Transition Committee headed by Alhaji Sule Iyaji, a former deputy governor in the old Benue State. The committee was to document the situation of things in the state in order to guide the new administration. The administration also constituted a 21-man think tank committee which provided a platform for other eminent Kogi indigenes to make valuable inputs on how best to move the state forward. The committee is headed by renowned Professor of Agricultural Economics, Prof Francis Idachaba.
If there is any new spirit that the administration has brought to bear in the state, it is that of continuity. For the government of Captain Wada, continuity in governance is necessary in order to curb waste. Hence, the continuation of all the projects inherited by the administration-the new confluence beach hotel, the multi-million naira stadium project, the Lokoja greater water scheme, the phase 11 secretariat project, street light project, and various road projects initiated by the immediate past government. Some of these projects have either been completed or attained appreciable completion level. Continuity, for the governor is what should drive governance in these days of scarce resources. Some of the other landmark achievements of the administration this past one year include the following;
*The administration, on assumption of office, announced a Transformation Agenda that will permeate all aspects of life in the state. That agenda has since been set in motion and it is being prosecuted with vigor.
*The administration has also in the last one year, made considerable effort to sanitize the state’s political landscape. It did this by discouraging the activities of miscreants and hangers-on who once held government by the jugular and by so doing, held down the progress of the state.
*As stated earlier, the administration deemed it absolutely necessary to continue projects initiated by the preceding administration. This is one thing that makes all the difference.
*Within a few weeks of assuming office, the administration embarked on a comprehensive program of sanitation and beautification of Lokoja, the state capital. This is being done under the close supervision of the Deputy Governor. Steadily, Lokoja is wearing a new look.
*New neighborhood markets, refuse land-fill sights, trailer park and mechanic village are among some of the projects being developed by the administration.
*The administration is also developing a new environmental policy thrust for the state. It is doing this in partnership with the private sector.
*Health care delivery remains a cardinal program of the administration. A free Rural Medical Service targeted at rural poor was executed in collaboration with CEDIO, an organization based in Lagos. It is on record that scores of people of the state origin have so far benefitted from the scheme. Precisely, over 1000 out-patients were treated in 24 centers across the state and more than 2000 surgical operations, including eye-related surgeries were carried out.
Also, over 1000 long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and thousands of eye glasses were distributed free across the state. All of this happened in the first phase. There has subsequently been more phased executed with even greater successes.
*On assumption of office, the Deputy Governor undertook a tour of health facilities in the state. That tour brought him face-to-face with the deplorable state of health institutions in the state in terms of manpower and facilities. In spite of the huge wage bill, medical personnel; including doctors were recruited and posted to man the various health institutions for improved health care delivery.
*New cottage hospitals are also being constructed and facilities in the health sector are also being upgraded. Among the new cottage hospitals are; those at Umomi and Icheke, among others.
*Since the administration came on board, it has taken the payment of counterpart contribution on all donor-assisted health-related program seriously. For instance, the sum of 18 million naira was released as counterpart contribution to the TB/Leprosy program in the state. Since the state signed MoU with donor organization on the program close to two decades ago, the state had never honored its own part of the agreement.
*In the spheres of education, the administration of Captain Wada which is barely 365 days in office has recorded some landmark achievements. Few days after assuming office, the governor visited Kogi State University, Anyigba. During that visit, he approved the construction of an additional hostel at the institution. He has equally provided funds to the institution to meet its accreditation needs. The governor was also at the state polytechnic, Lokoja and gave approval for the construction of two additional hostels in the college. The administration also released fund on-going projects at the College of Education (Technical), Kabba. The administration also provided for the relocation of the Government Science Secondary School, Lokoja to give room for the newly established Federal University Lokoja.
*Other key areas like agriculture, rural electrification, water supply, youth empowerment, women development, sports, etc have also been accorded attention in spite of the paucity of resources.
*Workers’ welfare in the period under review has also been accorded top priority. Salaries are paid as and when due and as a matter of fact, the government has since commenced the payment of 2012 leave bonus to workers in the state employment. Training of workers at all levels is also being accorded priority. In a nutshell, a new face and image is being given the civil service in the state through a re-engineering process that would ensure productivity.
* The administration has gone ahead to create additional two key ministries-Rural Development and Environment and Physical Planning.
*The office of the Deputy Governor was re-modeled, completed, commissioned and presently, it is being occupied by the number 2 citizen of the state.
*In the area of security, the administration is doing everything humanly possible to prevent spill-over of the security challenges in most parts of the north to the state. In this wise, it has been given due support to security agencies in the state. Happily, there has been good result arising from this support. Interestingly, the once volatile central part of the state is now enjoying an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
*In the sphere of rural development, the administration earmarked key roads for construction-Kotonkarfe township road, Kabba township road, Iyara township road, Itakpe-Kuroko-Okene by-pass and some other access roads across the length and breadth of the state.
This past one year, through body language, utterances, and actions, the administration of Captain Idris Wada has proved that it appreciates the enormous responsibility of governance. It has proved its resolve to make a difference by being transparent and accountable. It has been one year of grappling with challenges of governance chief of which include; the challenge of fund and changing the stereotype of the people to governance.
In spite of these initial challenges and the governor’s recent involvement in a fatal auto crash, the ship of the state is not under any threat; it is sealing smoothly on the sea and the signs are clear that the captain and his co-captain have what it take in terms of energy, vision, strength of character, administrative wisdom and what have you to take the state out of the wood.
There are accusations that the government is slow but it is clear that the government is on course. It has been one year of focused movement; the steps have been deliberate and conscious.
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