Governorship candidate of the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA) in the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi state, Mr. Emmanuel Ozigi, has said that the state is undeveloped not because of lack of fund but because application of the available resources by the successive government has been the major issue.
Ozigi, a financial consultant, said corruption, misappropriation and mismanagement of funds, including the internally generated revenue (IGR) responsible for the backwardness.
Speaking with newsmen at the weekend in Abuja, Ozigi said if given opportunity to govern the state he will bring his wealth of experience in financial management to bear.
He said: “I can bet you that if the funds had been channelled properly right from the beginning of the state when funds had been coming in and development is prioritized, you will see that probably if they have taken on health, you would have seen something tangible. Now you would have said ‘oh even the state is like this but their health system is perfect’, ‘the state is like this but all their road networks are fantastic. These are things that we should be talking about.
“Because we have had a very poor governance system in the state and it is not because funds are not available. Funds are given to Kogi state like other states that receive funds from the federal government.
“The problem is how do you apply these resources into use? And one of the key things is when you see breakdown in terms of development is as a result of corruption, misappropriation, mismanagement of funds. Not only public funds, even the IGR that is been generated in the state can be used to do something good. You have 4 years in the first, you have 4 years to run your government. It is not compulsory that you must drag everything at the same time because, firstly, you don’t have the resources to do that. Secondly, you don’t have the time so you prioritize.”
When asked to comment on his chances considering his opponents like the incumbent governor and former governor Prince Abubakar Audu, Ozigi said: “there is a yearning for change even in the eastern part of Kogi state. There is a desire for change in the governance and the way things are been done. The fact that both flag bearers are from that particular area doesn’t give the platform for a success. Like I said, it is the desire for the whole state not just because I am from central. My ticket is not a singular desire but a collective desire.”
