By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello on Friday in Lokoja presented 40 SUV cars and four Hilux vans to the state’s lawmakers and judges in the state.
He also presented 25 ambulances to local governments, three brand new Fire Fighting Vans to the state’s Fire Service in Lokoja.
The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Alhaji Umar Yusuf, got a Jeep and two supporting cars while his deputy, majority and other 22 members got one each in different classes and brands.
Nine of the cars went to the Judiciary for distribution to the benefitting judges of the state.
Presenting the vehicles in a colourful ceremony at the Muhammadu Buhari Square, Lokoja on Friday, Bello described the gesture as his own way of stimulating performance and rewarding hard work.
Bello tasked the beneficiaries to see the gesture as part of encouragement to them to serve the state better towards its growth and development.
The governor said that out of the 25 ambulances, each of the 21 LGAs would have one for their Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) while three would go to the three Referral Hospitals in the three senatorial districts as well as one to Kogi Specialist Hospital.
Earlier, the Speaker, Yusuf, commended the governor for the show of love and better welfare of the legislators towards enhancing productivity for the growth and development of the state.
“With this demonstration of love and concern towards our wellbeing, we are assuring you that we won’t relent in serving our constituents and the entire people of Kogi, ” he said.
Dr. Usman Zakari, the Health Commissioner, thanked the governor for the ambulances, which he said would go a long way in enhancing the wellbeing of the citizens of the state.
Zakari said: ” These ambulances will make it easy for referral purposes; moving patients from one hospital to the other for the desired medical attention and treatment.”
He said that the governor had done a lot for the state’s health sector, which he claimed had no equal in the country, considering the facilities provided in most of the hospitals.
The Chief Judge (CJ) of the state, Justice Josiah Mejabi, thanked the governor for considering the welfare of judges as paramount towards enhanced judicial service to the people of the state.
