From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
As Nigeria marks her Diamond anniversary, Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello said on Tuesday that over #50bn salaries overhang inherited from his predecessors impeded the growth intention of his administration.
The governor who disclosed this during his broadcast to the state to mark this year’s 60th Independent anniversary in Lokoja promised to provide the needed governance that will move the state to the next level despite the daunting challenges posed by the Covid 19 pandemic and the devastated flooding that is affecting the state.
He said, from the secured loans, he was able to clear all the backlog of salaries, and now paying full salaries as at when due, vowing to bring the perpetrators of salary manipulations to book.
Governor Bello who used the occasion to commiserate with the families of the Petro Tanker Explosion in Felele in which no fewer than 28 persons loss their lives, promised to ensure that the circumstances of the accident would not occur again in future in the state.
“Our first term in office ended on a high note on 27th January, 2020 when our second term commenced. In-between we saw an initial misunderstanding of our methodologies, followed by grudging acceptance of our reforms and finally some open admiration for our accomplishments.”
“Our pledge is that we will continue to earn your trust by delivering strongly on our second term campaign promise to do more. No opposition, no matter how fierce or unreasonable will derail us from that objective” He assured.
The Governor who noted the overwhelming support for his government at the polls both the General Election of 2019 and Governorship Election, have deepened his faith in the masses of the state, despite fierce challenges from the federal legislators from the state and the opposition parties.
While acknowledging the feat of the APC in both the National Assembly and state Assembly Elections , urged the people to vote for the Party in the December 12, 2020 Local Government Elections.
He lamented at flood of Rivers Niger and Benue causing havoc on the state in which Nine Local Government Areas have been submerged, called on the victims to move to the camps provided by the state.
The Governor noted that the comments by the American Government on the state Governorship Election was an abuse on the sovereignty of Nigeria, described the US action as most unfair, an absolute overreach and unacceptable.
He admonished the people of the state for their reselience in the face of challenges facing the state, he however admonished them to celebrate the continued existence of the country in the last 60 years.
According to him “Every Nigerian will agree that our journey together has been a challenging odyssey. It is a credit to our unbroken will to succeed and our resilience as a nation of diverse peoples that we have made it thus far despite plethora of milestones in our history,”
