When Captain Idris Wada, assumed office as Kogi State Governor in 2012, it became obvious to him that he will need to work with men and women with proven track record of achievements to deliver on his transformation agenda.
As was expected, the Governor constituted his cabinet; an executive council: a combination of technocrats and tested politicians.
Similarly, the Governor also constituted Boards and commissions. These men and women were to assist him in the discharge of service delivery to people of the state.
Two years after assuming office as governor, it was time for stock taking.
The governor’s appraisal measured the contribution and input made by the various men and women who worked with him.
The assessment basically measured Capt Wada’s administration’s performance and service delivery vis-a-vis the role each appointee of the governor played.
It would be recalled that few weeks ago, the State Executive Council was dissolved. The dissolution to many in the state did not come as a surprise. Just as the governor observed, there was the need to re-jig machinery of governance, by replacing those who didn’t measure up to expectation in the administration’s vision.
One key area the governor registered displeasure while taking stock was in the primary education sector.
The place of Education in the sustainable development of a nation cannot be over stressed. Little wonder, since assumption of office, the present administration placed so much attention geared towards repositioning education at all levels.
For example, the State University and Polytechnic at Ayingba and Lokoja have evidences to show of the present administration’s impact in the education sector.
Similarly, the colleges of Education Ankpa, and College of Education Technical, Kabba grew in leaps and bounds in terms of infrastructural and human capital development.
Aside the establishment of the State University Teaching Hospital, efforts to upgrade the schools of Health Technology, Idah, School of Nursing in Egbe and Obangede to HND and Degree awarding institutions topped government’s priority in the last two years.
Aside the recent approval to employ 500 teachers at the first phase, there is a massive rehabilitation of all Iconic and first generation secondary schools across the State.
This is aside the building and rehabilitation of Primary Schools also on-going across the state.
The State Government equally built additional hostels for students in State School of Nursing Obangede.
All of these steps and others not mentioned are geared towards underscoring the present administrations seriousness and commitment to improving education and learning at all levels.
But despite Governments effort in improving teaching and learning, there has however been a challenge in repositioning the primary school aspect of education in the State in line with Capt Wada’s vision, even with the overwhelming support given by the administration.
As a product of public schools, Capt Wada and his Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi have maintained that their administration will return all public schools to their past enviable position.
But despite Government support and the enabling environment it created to make the primary school aspect of education work in the State, Captain Wada’s vision as much as he tried, met frustration.
The primary school teachers in the state aside having to go through tortures and unending screening exercises, that could not produce positive result but hardship, the teachers were made to work with several months of unpaid salaries.
The State Primary Schools had their doors shut to academic work for months, more often than it was opened for learning under the leadership of the defunct State Universal Board.
As much as the Governor tried to correct the noticed problems bedeviling primary school education in the state, which was observed to be an human error, caused by a chief executive’s error, his efforts proved abortive.
The saying that, you can force a horse to a river, but you cannot force it to drink water, manifested in Kogi State as all of the Governor’s efforts aimed at improving primary education and welfare of its teachers, never saw the light of day.
Alhaji Jibrin Usman was appointed as Chief Executive Chairman, of the State Universal Basic Education Board about two years ago.
The appointment was done in good faith by the Wada administration purely on its merit.
Though others saw the appointment of Alhaji Jibrin Usman then, as motivated by certain consideration. He was seen to be too close to the Governor and was considered a sacred cow that was untouchable.
While many people saw several different reasons for the appointment of Jibrin Usman then to head SUBEB, fortunately for him, it was his past record when he once served as Commissioner in the State and also having served as a one time Executive Director in Obajana Cement Company among other positions he held,that gave him the job as SUBEB Chairman.
No doubt, the former chairman had experience on his side,but that seem not to work for him when he held sway in SUBEB.
For many who have worked closely with the governor, Captain Wada is a man who is excellence and merit personified.
A cursory look at those working with him shows that their excellent achievement record are reasons why they were selected and not what many have thought placed them in those appointive position.
Over the years and for many who know Capt Wada, his public life has been driven by excellence, merit and hard work; so the appointments he made over the past few years couldn’t have been influenced by mundane considerations.
Just like a one time President of Nigeria once said, “it is one thing to give a man position; it is however another thing for that man to justify the office he was appointed too”.
The sacking of the SUBEB Chairman and his Board Members which sent jubilation across the state,shows that he could not justify the appointment given to him.
The sack is also an indication that the Governor does not have favorites nor sacred cows, as postulated when Jibrin’s appointment was made, neither will he condone non-performance in his cabinet. Irrespective of who the personality involved is.
With merit taking the centre stage in the administration of Capt. Idris Wada, employment even into the State Civil Service is done on the basis of merit. This was clearly demonstrated by the recent recruitment exercise for would be teachers.
While in the service, aptitude test has been made a prerequisite for promotion.
The Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, (ASCON) Badagry is also responsible on merit, promotes Civil Servants to the rank of Permanent Secretaries after several tests.
The recent sack of the SUBEB Board alongside some other changes the Governor has done in the past underscored the fact that no one is a sacred cow in the present dispensation.
The Governor’s action has no doubt placed others in appointive positions on the edge as they now leave in fear.
This is however not a time for panic, but a call for those serving in the Capt. Wada administration to brace up and strive for excellence.
The Governor’s recent action has shown that any one, not minding how highly placed and your relationship with him, can get the boot, once it is discovered that the vision and mission of the present administration as well as the interest of the State is clearly undermined.
Abu Micheal, Chief Press Secretary to Kogi State Deputy Governor, Writes from Lokoja.
