Kogi @32: We’ve taken remarkable strides – Govt

The governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has said the contributions of his predecessors have placed the land and its people on the track of greatness, which, he added, has started “marching” them towards the greater future that the citizens dream of.

In his address to mark the 32nd Anniversary of the creation of the state on Sunday at Lokoja, the governor said the historic occasion remained a day of remembrance and recommitment to ensure the state took its pride of place in the country.

He said his administration had committed to the new direction blueprint, which he claimed to be the major driver of his actions and decisions for the past almost eight years in office.

“This policy plan has served us well as our guiding light, leading us towards the accelerated and proportional development we envisaged from inception across all constituencies in our state.

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“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 – even to the worst naysayer or skeptic,” he said.

However, a frontline lawyer, Jibrin S. Kutepa (SAN) has described 32 years of Kogi State as growth without commeasurable achievements.

The erudite lawyer disclosed this on Sunday in a statement to newsmen in Lokoja as the state clocks 32 years of its creation.

He said the state is one of the most backward in terms of physical and human capital development, despite being endowed with some of the best human and natural resources.

In the same vein, a right activist and Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Idris Miliki Abdul, said subsequent administrations failed to focus on infrastructural development to raise the standard of living of the people since its creation.

Another citizen of the state, Dr Abdulkareem Haliru, a retired director from the Federal Civil Service said lack of continuity by subsequent administrations has been the albatross of the state.