As we all know, the office of the Special Adviser on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is the project implementation of Sustainable development spread across the state. The SDGs are the offshoot of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which terminated in 2015.
The administration of Governor Yahaya Bello has through the Special Adviser on SDGs in the person Arc. Abdulmumeen Ahmed Okara, has adopted a set goals to end poverty, protect the state and ensure both urban and rural sustainable developmental projects.
In view of the above, the Kogi State SDGs office as led by Arc. Abdulmumeen Ahmed Okara, has achieved the following in the last one (1) year:
• Complete Remodeling and Furnishing of SDGs Office Structure to meet up with the accepted standard as befitting to an Agency; to be commissioned by his Excellency Governor Yahaya Bello on Friday, 27th January, 2017.
• Provision of utility vehicles to SDGs Office
• Payment of 1.2bn Naira as Counterpart Fund for the 2014 CGS/SDGs Projects as was ignored by the previous administration.
• Engagement of 200 Village Health Workers across the State, with monthly allowance of Twenty Thousand Naira Only under the SDGs Social Intervention Scheme (Conditional Cash Transfer CCT)
• Sensitization and Facility Tour across the 21 LGAs of the state to access abandoned projects and outdated structures/facilities and immediately mobilize for repairs/reconstruction as the case maybe, these tours gave birth to the Commencement of the execution of the 2014 CGS/SDGs Projects which include;
* Construction and Equipping of six new Primary Health Centres (PHCs) at the Ibaji , Ofu, Okene, Ijumu, Yagba West, and Lokoja LGAs.
* Purchase of fully equipped 6-Nos State-of-the-art referral vehicles (ambulances) to be distributed to six benefitting Local Government namely Ibaji, Ofu, Okene, Ijumu, Yagba West and Lokoja LGAs.
* Initiation Health Care Programme with the purchase and delivery of 63 million Naira worth of drugs to be distributed free across the 21 LGAs
* Free Maternity Kits to be distributed to 6,000 pregnant women across the state as social support for the period of their pregnancy under the Healthcare plus programme.
* Rehabilitation and equipping of 12 Health Centers across the state under the Healthcare Plus Programme in Ankpa, Olamaboro, Dekina, Ibaji, Kogi/Koton-Karfe, Ijumu, Kabba/Bunu, Yagba East, Okene, Ogori Magongo, Adavi and Ajaokuta LGAs. The phase two will be spread to the remaining 9 LGAs in due course.
* Award of Contract for the upgrading and equipping of comprehensive healthcare Centre Agassa in Okene LGA to a Cottage Hospital.
* Award of Contract for the upgrading and equipping of comprehensive healthcare Centre Gboloko in Bassa LGA to a Cottage Hospital.
For the avoidance of doubt the SDGs office under the vivacious and indefatigable Special Adviser, Arc. Abdulmumeen Okara with His Excellency, Alh. Yahaya Bello whose efforts has been geared towards piloting our dear state to a New Direction of Development, progress, Conducive environment and modern Infrastructures in the best interest of all Kogites.
It might interest you to know that on one of our facility tours we went to both Okene and Koton-karfe hospitals that were built since 1960, many years now to our greatest dismay the previous government has made no efforts in Rehabilitating the hospital in terms of maintenance, Renovations and Upgrading of equipment. The both hospitals has after so many years become obsolete with outdated facilities lacking maintenance and the Surgical wards are almost like slaughter-house. In the light of these, the governor has mandated the state focal person to bring about a change in the various hospitals across all LGAs in the state.
With the quality and passion the the Governor and his State focal person has shown so far , In no time Kogi State will continue to witness massive development in real and concrete most importantly at the grass-roots.
