Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has again accused past leaders of the state of corruption and lack of vision, which according to him has held the state down.
The governor who disclosed this while addressing government officials at a special workshop on the new direction blueprint of his administration in Lokoja, also said that his administration was prepared to refocus the state and rebound it for development.
According to the governor, his administration will religiously follow the blueprint to achieve development.
“In order to have a Kogi State that is devoid of endemic poverty and underdevelopment, my administration has come up with the new direction blueprint to address the infrastructural deficit as well as the poverty bedevilling the state.
“I urge all government officials to key into our development agenda. We have to be on the same page to move Kogi forward as we bid to move away from the status of a potential giant to a real giant. My administration has targeted education, healthcare, job creation, civil service reforms as well as massive infrastructural development across the state.
“If we can ensure good education and create the right environment for job creation, our youth won’t find crime lucrative. I urge you all to join my administration in moving the state forward. If I don’t believe in the possibility of my dream, I won’t be here as your Governor.”
He urged the people of the state to close the ethnic borders and be united for a common purpose.
He said: “I am an Okun man. I am an Igalaman, I am an Ebiraman. I belong to all Kogi people. From today, the fence that divides us has collapsed as we strive to move ahead as one indivisible state.
“Anybody that is in my government to divide Kogi people cannot work with our vision. We are marching forward, a united people.”
Governor Bello said his civil service reforms will rescue the state from inefficiency, ineffectiveness and corruption, saying those discovered to be unintended beneficiaries will be empowered through a special programme.
“Except for the ghosts, unintended beneficiaries will be empowered through agriculture and other empowerment plans of government. They are our people and we have to empower them.”
Credits: Sam Egwu | Leadership
