Within the last two years, the Kogi State Government under Captain Idris Wada has gone to remarkable extent in providing critical social services to the people in Local Government Areas of the State and to live up to its campaign pledges.
Over the years council areas have always been neglected in planned and sustained development. The scenario under Capt Idris Wada however seem to have witnessed a reversal.
The third tier of Government in Kogi State is now enjoying the concentration of basic infrastructures by the Wada administration.
From Agricultural Development to Road Construction; Water Supply to Health Care delivery; and Education to Housing, a lot has been achieved despite constraining financial resources and challenges.
In the area of Agriculture for example, regular and Fadama farmers across the State have been provided subsidized fertilizers,tools including tractors, improved seeds and extension services.
Still on Agriculture, the Wada led administration has equally embarked on aggressive production of Rice, Cassava and Palm Tree Plantations in council areas where it has comparative advantage at a rate that it has created employment.
Towards consolidating on the administration’s Agricultural transformation agenda considering that it is the mainstay of the state’s economy, government procured excavators, mounted planters, harrows and levelers, harvesters and water pumps for farmers use in the council areas.
More than 1500km of new Rural Roads have been opened up in different parts of the State. This gesture is aimed at assisting farmers move their produce to the market.
The administration on assumption of office inherited 36 road projects. several of the roads are still under construction or either completed.
The road projects mostly domiciled in Local Government Areas is hallmark of the administration’s road transformation agenda in the transport sub sector.
Aside the 270 post flood housing estate nearing completion in Lokoja, one of the benevolent housing scheme the present government intends to build very soon will offer 10,000 houses to civil servants mostly living in Local Government Areas at owner occupier basis.
Towards providing qualitative health care delivery services to the people of the state who majorly reside in the Local Government Areas. The Wada led administration has also embarked on the establishment, renovation and purchase of standard hospital equipments to all the general hospitals and health facilities across the 21 Local Government Areas in the State.
Over 51 Rural Water Projects, involving the provision of motorized bore holes and 20m3 Capacity Pressed Steel Over – head tank; installed with 30KVA Generator and a Generator house is currently on-going in some Local Government Areas and health institutions across the State.
In addition, Kogi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, has drilled bore holes at about 107 locations in 13 Local Government Areas of the State.
Already the present administration has completed 30 rural electrification schemes in some Rural Communities. Several others are at advanced stages of completions in other Local Government Areas.
Similarly, Transformers to boost electrification in some Communities across Local Government Areas across the State have been installed.
5,000 jobs have equally been created in the state for unemployed school graduates mostly living in Local Government Areas through the Youth Empowerment Scheme of the Wada administration.
These and many other interventions have no doubt seriously impacted on the lives of people in Council Areas.
But this trajectory of development projects is not restricted to the State Government alone.
Under the Captain Idris Wada’s leadership, the 21 Local Government Councils in the State have also stepped up their game, working hard to improve the living conditions of their people in the rural areas.
Indeed service provision at the Local Government level has now taken a new urgency under Wada’s development plan.
The Local Government Councils design and present work plans for targeted interventions under the subsidy reinvestment programme which the governor approves on a periodic basis.
Since assumption of office till date, the various councils have jointly executed about 300 people oriented projects. The projects cut across sectors as Rural Water Supply, Education, Primary Health Care, Agriculture, Transport, Energy, Youth Empowerment, Security and General Administration amongst others.
The success story of the SURE-P projects across the State was occasioned by the Project Monitoring Committee the State Governor set up to supervise, review performance, compliance with contracting and best proactive guidelines.
Recent reports submitted by the Monitoring Committee showed that 98% of the projects specially approved and monitored by the State Government were executed to relevant guidelines.
Without exaggeration,the Capt Idris Wada’s administration is through a rural integrated partnership approach,enhancing the living standard of its citizens at the Local Government Areas of the State.
