16
Politics
Thursday, February 7, 2013
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Keeping faith with Kogi’s transformation agenda RICHARD ELESHO
S
lowly but steadily, the wheel of governance gathers momentum in the Confluence State. For weeks on end, critics of the Kogi State governor, Idris Ichalla Wada have made a mince meat of his administration, condemning it for non performance. Operating under the aegis of Kogi Elders of the Peooples Democratiic Party (PDP), a selected group of notable party members traversed the nooks and crannies of Abuja accusing the governor and his immediate predecessor of literally milking the state dry. They alleged that in nearly one year of Wada’s governorship, not even a culvert has been constructed by him. The group sent petitions to President Jonathan and party chairman, Bamanga Tukur, urging them to call him to order. But, the governor seems not to have been distracted by his traducers. Indeed, while his critics were still throwing punches in Abuja, Wada was busy inaugurating projects and initiating new ones in Kogi. The list is impressive. The governor rekindled hope to the traumatised people of Qjapata/Ajodiun and Ihiame communities In Igalamela Odolu Local Government when he visited them and commissioned two blocks of school buildings. Each block consisted of three classrooms, furniture and a block of detached toilets, all at cost of N11.5 million. The project was handled under the direct supervision of Kogi State Agency for Social and Community Development. Until the new construction, the three communities, which the school serves had suffered untold deprivations. From time immemorial, they have been sending their wards to secondary schools in far away, Idah, Ejule or Ajaka until some years ago when through self effort, they established the Community Secondary School with dilapidated wooden walls and thatched roofs. James Odiba, General Manager of the agency that handled the project, explained that it was constructed in a record period of three months. But, there was still much work to be done. Leader and spokesperson of the community, Peter Atabo, requested that the state government should take over the school and turn it to a Government Day Secondary School. He also narrated the ordeals of the people each time they had to travel on the long neglected Ejule-Idah-Achokpa road, their only access road to the outside world. They also wanted portable water and electricity. And like a leader eager to assuage the yearnings of the electorate, Wada promptly promised to do all within his power to elevate their standard of living. He therefore pronounced on the construction of the road and water, while promising to set the necessary machinery in place for the school’s takeover. From Ojapata, the governor proceeded to Ajaka, headquarter of Igalamela Odolu Local Government, where he inspected on-going projects and inaugurated a water rehabilitation project. At
Wada
the ceremony, Governor Wada assured the people of his willingness and determination of his administration to improve their living conditions through the delivery of grassroots-oriented dividends of democracy. An occasion to demonstrate this resolve was early in coming. On December 4, the governor played host to hundreds of youths who were just being liberated from the twin stigma of joblessness and thuggery, which have for long sat on the social landscape like an onyx. The governor at a ceremony in Lugard House presented cheques of N250,000 each to the youths as mobilisation for the youth empowerment programme. N37.5 million was distributed to a batch comrising of 150 young men and women. Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Women Empowerment, Dr. (Mrs) Temitope Shinkaiye explained that her office has trained about 1,500 young persons in and outside the state under the Youth Advancement and Development for Kogi State (YAD4KOGI) The youths are being trained mainly in the agro-allied industry as a vehicle of revitalising the comatose industry and positively engaging the youths. Kogi State Agricultural Development Project provides technical training and extension or advisory services in fishery, poultry, cassava processing and food packaging. Already the initiative is paying off. A young lady from Ofu Local Government, Miss Daniel Ebulle Joy is one of the earliest products of the initiative. The lady runs a small food packaging enterprise, which she established from her savings in the camp. She was the cynosure of all eyes as she exhibited her products and presented them to the governor. Encouraged by Ebulle’s landmark record, the governor promised to assist her with more funds and the nec-
THE GOVERNOR SEEMS NOT TO HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED BY HIS
TRADUCERS... WHILE HIS CRITICS WERE STILL THROWING PUNCHES IN
ABUJA, WADA WAS
BUSY INAUGURATING PROJECTS AND INITIATING NEW ONES IN
KOGI
essary support that will ensure quick registration of her products by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC). The governor is not leaving any stones unturned in his efforts to revamp agriculture in the state. His latest effort is his commitment towards the resuscitation of Asharu Oil Mills in Dekina Local Government and other moribund agricultural companies in the Confluence State. During an inspection visit to the Oil Mills, Wada promised to inject funds that will be sufficient to get it back on its feet, Earlier, Wada displayed the determination of his government to reposition agriculture when he purchased nine tractors for the state branch of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria, NACOTAN. At the ceremony where the tractors were presented to the farmers, Wada noted that the gains of farming lies not in the production of food crops but also in the production of cash crops like cotton, cocoa and coffee. The diversification is hoped to lunch the state
into a golden era in its search for self reliance in food production. Speaking on that occasion, President of Kogi State Cooperative Women Alliance, Deaconess H.A Odiba, urged the governor to increase the number of tractors available in the state. As it is in agriculture, so it is in the other sectors of the state economy. For instance in health, the administration lunched out by its provision of free medical treatment and services across the 21 council areas of the state. The Free Medical Treatment exercise in conjunction with a private concern, CEEDIO Group, saw a medical team visiting all parts of the state rendering surgical and medical services to the sick. The government has also stepped up its payment of counterpart funds to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other health institutions locally and globally. These have helped in ensuring the eradication of polio and some other diseases in that category. The Wada administration has been giving support to victims of AIDS/HIV in the state. Drugs and related support are regularly made available to the victims. In fact, since the creation of the state more than two decades ago, Wada became the first chief executive to participate in a walk against the disease. At the end of the long walk from Lugard House to the office of Kogi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS on Mount Patti Road, the governor promised to continue to intensify support until the disease is wiped out in the state. The administration has shown strong passion for the development of education. In fact, the first official trip of the governor was a visit to Kogi State University (KSU), Anyigba; three days after he assumed office as governor in February 2011. He followed this up with a visit each to Kogi State Polytechnic (KSP), Lokoja, Kogi State College of Education, Technical, Kabba and Federal University, Lokoja. The governor has since began the construction of modern hostel blocks at KSU and KSP aside other projects in the institutions. He has also ensured accreditation of academic programmes in the institutions. Even more instructive is the administration’s policy not to abandon any of the projects it inherited from its predecessor. Thus, the Confluence Stadium is ready for inauguration. In the same vein, the 100 room Confluence Hotel Extension and the second phase of the state secretariat are almost ready for commissioning. But perhaps, nothing compares with the achievements in the rather intangible or non-physical sectors of the state’s economy. Civil servants and other government workers in the state get their salaries and other entitlements as and when due. There is also a culture of discipline which has clearly taken root among youths in the state. Many analysts in the state are eager to give the Wada administration kudos for its performance in its first year in office. They urge it to do more. Elesho is the Chief Press Secretary to the Kogi State Governor