From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello on Sunday in Lokoja said the lofty achievements by his administration was as a result of commitment and determination to display both astuteness and probity in Public Financial Management.
Governor Bello who disclosed this in his address to mark the 32nd Anniversary of the creation of Kogi State said “throughout my tenure as Governor, my commitment to the New Direction Blueprint has been the major driver of our actions and decisions.”
He pointed out that “the policy plan of his administration has served us well, being guiding light, leading us towards the accelerated and proportional development we envisaged from inception across all constituencies in our State.”
He pointed out that his administration embarked on the creation of the Kogi State 32-Year Development Plan earlier in the year adding that the plan will project the developmental aspirations for the next three decades, outlining both the short-term objectives that will derive from it and the longer term aspirations that we must pursue.
“We have diligently reformed our budgeting, procurement, debt management, revenue generation systems, and more. Our commitment to financial transparency and accountability has earned us the top position among Nigerian states in the World Bank’s States’ Financial Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SFTAS) index, time and again.”
Governor Bello stressed the readiness of his administration to provide a Blueprint for future leadership to continue developing Kogi State into Nigeria’s foremost and most secure emerging commercial hub, leveraging the geographical location, natural endowments, and human resources for a sustainable future.
“In education, health, infrastructure, youth empowerment, civil service reform, security, agriculture, and more, we have taken remarkable strides that are both visible and impactful today. We anticipate improved infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and agricultural advancements, with enhanced cooperation and integration amongst citizens.”
He was optimistic that Kogi State transitions into the hands of a successor that is committed to Continuity and Consolidation of the far-reaching legacies of this Administration and is able to keep providing the people with the empathetic, practical and transformational leadership that is so crucial the next stage of development.
“Today, I look to that future with an urgent imperative to ensure that we do not fall into the hands of a leadership in our State after me that will ignore the needs of our people or of our State for good governance and proportional cum accelerated development that respects our great diversity.”
“Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman is the candidate that we have selected and presented to Kogi State as the candidate for the 2023 Gubernatorial Elections and our preferred successor to the GYB years.”
He described the APC Candidate in Kogi state as humane, underlined by professionalism and strong leadership skills adding “I am confident in his ability to continue the upward trend in our growth graph established by our New Direction Administration and I solicit your support for him in the November 11 Kogi State Governorship Elections.”
He further disclosed that Kogi State Government is putting finishing touches to your own basket of palliatives and will soon deliver them to your doorsteps.