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I felicitates the number one citizen of Kogi State, in the person of His Excellency, Gov. Yahaya Bello, the chief of staff to the management of Kogi state, Hon. Edward Onoja and all other distinguished fellow citizens from Kogi State on the advance auspicious commemoration of the 25th independence anniversary of our beloved state. Though, there are no much things on ground yet to celebrate, which is directly an import of the past Governors, but we have to thank God for giving us the privileged to be alive till this moment.
Kogi State was created on the 27th of August 1991 from the old Benue and Kwara States. It was set up to achieve rapid growth via the comparative advantages of human capital {the youths constitute 77% of the population} vast mineral resources and good governance which would cascade to development for the good people of Kogi State. However, since the return to democratic rule from 1999 to date, the story has been that of stagnation and negative growth. The State is now amongst the poorest States in Nigeria with negative indicators such as low life expectancy rate, high infant mortality rate, poor infrastructure, high unemployment, low literacy level, to mention a few. It is abysmally appalling and pathetic that after 25 years in existence, we cannot as citizens from Kogi be proud of our own dear State. My fellow Kogites, we just cannot allow this to continue.
The time to change the STATE of our state has come and we must all join hands together with the divine Governor to make it happen. Kogi will certainly be better under this government if we are ready to queue up behind it.”
Continuing, I urged Gov. Yahaya Bello and his cabinet members to always focus on making the affairs of People his topmost priority, building great Institutions through better Processes aimed at Agriculture/Infrastructure, Economic Advancement, Health and Social Welfare in Kogi State, anchored on isolating and expanding our funding base to give us independence from Federal allocations.
By this, we will be able to activating the existing potential and inherent capabilities of our resources both human and material; Focus on liberating our People by establishing structures via Institutions and using best laid down Processes in order to positively affect the socio-economic fabric of our people; Make Kogi State and her indigenes truly prosperous socially and economically; Capitalizing on our diversity, cultural backgrounds, ethnic dispositions (our people) to create a progressive ‘One Kogi’; Ensure full use of Public-Private Partnerships and also encourage Private Initiatives; Activate our sleeping assets both human and mineral by establishing/improving institutions and structures devoid of sentiment, ethnic proclivities and bias to achieve One kogi state; Redesign the processes by which governance is carried out through an inclusive government.
Through the redesigning of our processes and the entrenching of institutions and structures, we will be able to use a combination of financial strategies to achieve this productive ambitions, which will pave way for Allocation from Federal purse to be strategically managed to achieve smart and impactful goals which benefit the Masses. And this also boost the Internally Generated Revenue beyond the token we are getting presently.
Hence, I am appealing to all Kogites, irrespective of our tribal, religious and political affiliations to see this period as the appropriate time for them to change Kogi state by supporting the government in order to bring about a new and prosperous Kogi state.
God bless Kogi state!!
Credit: GoDwin JiBrin Bakwo
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