Kogi State was created on the 27th of August 1991 during the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida since then we have had four military Governors, and four civilian governors, including an Acting Governor. Hence, the 34 years of existence of Kogi State, calls for reflection, evaluation and stock taking.
As we congratulate the people of the state, at least for the peaceful co-existence, despite the Numerous challenges facing the state, which include but not limited to lack of State-Owned Television, poor qualities of infrastructure, Corruption and lack accountability in Governance, misplaced priorities, lack of inclusiveness and adequate participation of the people in governance.
As at today, 34 years on, Kogi state is the only state in the federation without state-owned television stations in this 22nd century. We wonder how a government could be accountable to its citizens and the people in general when it fails to invest in media institutions. We challenge the current government in Kogi State, on its support to media institutions and practitioners. Kogi State Government Need to pay more attention to the media practitioners and their institutions: The recent attacked and vandalization of prime FM on Saturday, The 26 July 2025, is worrisome and condemnable, we have observed with kin interest, the neglect of media institutions in Kogi State in the past years as very unfortunate and a change of attitude through various interventions is necessary and urgent. Media institutions in Kogi State, deserve more than the present un-care attitude of the immediate and current government as dissatisfied and disappointing. It will be recalled that the grace FM in Lokoja, has been off air for several months, and the state government has refused to intervene.
The water situation in the state generally and Lokoja the state capital is worrisome and disappointing, despite the God-given confluence of the two (2) great Rivers Niger and Benue located in Lokoja, the State Capital.
The roads across the state are no-where near international standards, as potholes are the major characteristics of all roads in the state even in the state capital. While we acknowledge some relative improvements on infrastructure in the state. Despite the billions received monthly by present administration and the creation the Ministry of Housing, which was applauded by the citizens of the state, yet 1 year and 6 months down-the-line no strategy policies on housing development have been put in place, no single housing estate in the whole local government across the state have been put in place, which is highly regrettable.
We called on the current government in the State to do the needful, by reviewing, its relationship with the privately owned Cement Factories, to a more productive and beneficiary to the state, particularly on infrastructure and housing development.
Several abandoned projects litter the state, particularly in the tourism sector, as the two major hotels (Confluence Beach and Kogi Hotel) owned by the state government with no valid reason given for this abandonment, which would have create employment, generate revenue and provide services as a tourist state, we call on the state government to urgently intervene in this sector. Mount-Patti should have been developed to boost tourism, generate employment and revenue to the state. We call on the governor to take a look at the Mount-Patti, by making visit and personal assessment on the potentiality of that great and historical location where Nigeria derive it name.
Kogi State at 34 does not have industrial layout and does not have single industry, which would have help in providing employment for the citizen of the state and residence alike.
On sanitation and environmental development, we wonder the kind of environmental policy been put in place and implemented by the current government, as Lokoja the state capital remains one of the dirtiest State Capital in Nigeria.
More worrisome, is the present governor made 1,127 appointments across the state without justifiable and verifiable reasons, are they employment or appointment without schedule, and verifiable offices in the face of economic stagnation in the state and several area of needs and interventions. What contributions, input and impact of these unnecessary appointees? We called on the governor to think more of the economic development of the state rather than political patronage, as election is over, it is time for the good people of Kogi State to enjoy dividend of democracy through good governance.
On social investment, despite the existing Social Protection Register in the state, that capture the poverty level across the state, and should have serve as guide in the distribution of the so call “palliatives”, due to the fact that the government in the state have no Social Protection Policy. The “palliatives” have gone into wrong hands due to political exigencies, patronage and political party considerations, but the governor needs to know that on Election Day, voters exceeded political parties and all his activities should go beyond the ruling party.
We also observed, that despite the speed at which the current Kogi State House of Assembly passes Laws, these Laws are not gazetted for the citizens to have access to them. We call on the current government to do the needful and make those Laws available to the people of the state.
However, despite the gloomy situation we have found ourselves in the hands of our leaders and representatives, several opportunities are still available to change the situation and the narratives. We call on the present government to look at available resources in the state, both human and materials, that would be used for the development of the state which will build the modern Kogi State, that can compete with any other state in the country, particularly on Housing, Mining, Marine, Industrial Layout, Agriculture, Transportation (both Land, Air and Water), Tourism etc., particularly the development of Mount Patti that can generate hug revenue for the state and boost tourism.
Definitely, Kogi State is in need of development and good leadership that will promote good governance. The citizens should be concern about the current level of development which is an embarrassment to the people of the State 34 years after.
We call for prioritizing Anti-Corruption and Accountability issues that will improve the development of the State beyond the unfortunate and underdevelopment we find ourselves in the State. Despite the passage of the Anti-Corruption Law by the Kogi State House of Assembly and the subsequent signing into Law by the Governor several months ago, the agency on Anti-Corruption is yet to be established in State by the Governor. We call on the Governor to review the Law and resend it to the state Assembly for legislative processes, approval and subsequence approval without further delay, in the interest of justice, Accountability, Transparency and overall development of the State.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- We call on the governor, as a matter of urgency to establish the State television station, to promote information sharing and development that will encourage transparency in government.
- The Place of Housing and its development cannot be over emphases, we therefore call on the state governor and its government to put strategy in place and to look at it from the commercial perspective in investment, as whatever money invest in it, cannot be a waste and can still come back to the state government and will serve as an assets for the people.
- We call for the review and upgrade of the social protection register in the state and for the government to have social investment policy that can guide the distribution of palliatives and other Humanitarian activities of the government, now that we have Ministry of Humanitarian in the State.
- We call for the review of Environmental policy through environmental conference that can identify environmental challenges and come out with strategy for intervention as the environmental situation across the state is worrisome and risky for epidemic and health hazard across the State.
- The governor should look at the transport sector, and put strategy in place that will improve the land, water and air transportation system, that can create employment and generate revenue for the state. By the proximity of Kogi State that have boundary with 10 others states including FCT. On the long run the government of the State should look into possibility of creating an airport in partnership with private sector.
Long live Kogi State and happy birthday at 34 years.
Signed:
Idris Miliki Abdul,
Executive Director,
Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR),
Lokoja, Kogi State – Nigeria
