Hon. Abdulkareem Onyekehi Suleiman, the Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Multilateral, Donor Agencies and Special Projects and State Focal Person, National Social Investment Programme, has been honored with an Ambassador of Ethics and Global Citizen of Conscience award, by an NGO, the Centre for Ethics and Self Value Orientation (CESVO).
Presenting the award to Hon. Onyekehi, at the SIP Office in Lokoja, the Executive Director of CESVO, Prince Yakubu Salih Musa eulogised the recipient for his outstanding performance since his assumption of office.
Onyekehi, who doubles as the Kogi State Focal Person of Social Investment Programme (SIP), was described by Yakubu as a reflection of ethical public officer whose conducts had been secretly investigated and confirmed as a trustworthy public servant with conduct compliance, and a sharp contrast from the general perception against Kogi NSIP in the past years.
Prince Yakubu who is a the founder of National Youth Parliament of Nigeria (NYPN) further commended the reforms, innovations and effective management the Kogi SIP office is now witnessing under the able leadership of Hon. Onyekehi.
“Having secretly investigated the activities of this office through tactical deployment of our whistle blowers to monitor the conduct and activities of this agency, we are glad to declare that your conduct has ranked you among the top 12 highly rated ethically responsible NSIP states in 2020.
”You are therefore, decorated as an Ambassador of Ethics and Global Citizen of Conscience, presented with a Gold Medal and a Certificate of Credence, thus, inducting you among the 100 Integrity Icons of Nigeria (IION).”
Responding, Hon. Onyekehi thanked CESVO for considering him worthy of such lofty and surprising recognition.
Onyekehi assured the organisation of his commitment to better service delivery to the good people of Kogi State in fulfilment of Gov. Yahaya Bello’s New Direction mandate.
The focal person, however, sighted the burden of inherited challenges that thwarted the progress of the SIP implementation in Kogi State.
“I inherited various administrative issues as it concerns some of the components of the programme and welfare of the staff upon my assumption of duty mid 2019.
”But today, we are repositioning the Kogi SIP for improved service delivery to citizens in fulfilment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s pledge to eradicate poverty among the populace using NSIP as key driver in achieving that promise.
“Our reforms are obvious from the renewed focus, public awareness and sensitization, restructuring, innovative ideas and broader reach to the people at the grass roots through the various components of the NSIP.
”My mandate is to justify the trust placed on me by my principal, His Excellency Governor Yahaya Bello to ensure that the original and deserving target beneficiaries of all components of NSIP are equitably distributed and adequately captured”.
Onyekehi assured the group of his determination to continue to adhere to ethical standard and relevant service and conduct compliance in the discharge of his duties having being encouraged to do more.
Hon. Onyekehi, however, dedicated the Award to all Kogites and Nigerian youth, noting that he was committed to prove that the youth could lead and make a difference.
