Challenges of recalibrating the confluence state

Having to share boundaries with nine states, Kogi State is prone to multifaceted challenges of not just governance, but also core issues of security of lives and property. KUNLE ODEREMI examines the extent Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is resetting the needle in Kogi.

August 23, 2024, marked the end of a welter of legal battles that trailed the conduct and outcome of the November 2023 governorship elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states. The Supreme Court gave the final judgement on the appeals filed by aggrieved candidates of other parties that contested the elections. The verdict of the apex court in the land opened a new vista in the politics and governance models of the three states. It was especially so in Kogi, that goes by the epithet, the Confluence State, following the trajectories of elections in the past. Such contests attracted more than a passing and passionate attention within and outside the shores of Nigeria due to variegated issues and factors.                                                    For the new helmsman, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, the change of baton in the Government House Lokoja, placed a huge task and responsibilities on his shoulder, while his successor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello heaved a sigh of relieve after eight years of governing one of the multicultural and multiethnic states in the North- Central part of the country.

After weeks of legal firework, the Supreme Court affirmed the victory of Governor Ododo as the winner  of the November 11, 2023 election,  settling all the disputes, battle of wits that a companied the INEC declaration of the APC candidate. His reaction to the judgement was poignant and reconciliatory. Governor Ododo called on the citizens, irrespective of political affiliations, to team up with him in his quest to boost the economic and infrastructural development.

He acknowledged the enormity of mineral deposits in Kogi that could be harnessed to the advantage of the state if there is amity and cooperation between people and his administration. “I am calling on every one to join us to develop Kogi State. The state is the only state we can authoritatively claim to be our state. It is blessed with enormous mineral resources. I am calling on all and sundry to come home and support my administration to serve the state better. As a political party, APC has the philosophy of development and as such my doors are wide open for advice. I need your cooperation and support so that together we can take the state to the promised land where the state will be a centre of attraction to other states in the country,” he said.

Ododo, while also rallying Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu to enable him achieve his laudable programmes for the nation, stated that the President has put measures in place to ensure the country’s economy is revived to end hardship in the nation. He lauded his predecessor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for laying a solid foundation, with a promise to to prioritise the welfare of the people in appreciation for their express mandate for him to serve the state.

As the fifth democratically elected governor of Kogi, Ododo promised to fulfil all the electioneering promises and pledged sustain the raise the bar of the tempo of the infrastructure development inherited by his administration.

With determination, he began to tackle the various challenges confronting the state, and in tandem with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, coupled with placing premium on the welfare of the people of the state, including the civil servants. At a parley with the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other labour unions in the state recently, the governor noted that the meeting with the labour leaders was to review critical steps so far taken by the state government to address the impact of the economic downturn in the state especially as they affect workers in the public sector.

“We have come to interface with the leadership of the organized labour as usual because this is one of the legacies of our leader, the former Governor of Kogi state laid down for us to continue. We had a very robust conversation with the organized labour, the NLC, the TUC and other unions in the state. This is an opportunity for us to discuss not only the welfare of civil servants, but the affairs of our dear state which we have all been elected by our people to serve”, Governor Ododo said.

The Governor restated his determination to make the welfare of workers a major priority of the administration, stressing that the interface with workers would be a regular part of his engagement with critical stakeholders for the progress and development of the state. The  the state  Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju  Idris Ashiru attested to the determination of the governor on that score, noting that the administration has made significant strides in salary payments, infrastructure development and economic growth. “Following the victory at the Supreme court in Abuja, I, Asiwaju Idris Ashiru, want to reiterate that the leadership of the Governor, Usman Ododo has reached noteworthy milestones across the various sectors. The welfare of the worker remains a top priority of the present administration. The governor is committed to ensuring workers’ well being which is evident in the prompt payment of salaries since the invention of this government. These timely payments are attributed to the removal of subsidy which has bolstered the State’s revenue,”he said.

Ashiru highlighted some of the other achievements to include the payment of 100 percent salaries to the Local Government (LGA) workers, teachers and state’s employees and the pensioners and prompt payment of gratuities to the retirees. Other strides are the ongoing road construction projects throughout the state and the clearing of the vast land for agricultural use across the 21 local government areas. The state government is also partnering with investors in the solid minerals sectors, among others.

“I also wish to emphasise on the administration’s success in the health infrastructure, coupled with the significant steps taken in the agriculture sector which will provide farmers with improved access to farmlands and assistance from the state government ultimately addressing food security in the state. The expansive road network being developed under this administration has also transformed the state greatly and reduced travel times for the residents.

The increase in the road infrastructure also facilitates transportation of the agricultural produce benefiting the local farmers.

“Furthermore, I commended  President Bola Tinubu for his efforts in establishing lasting legacies through economic policies and urge the citizens to continue supporting the President and also call for collective support for the governor to ensure the fulfilment of his promises,” the commissioner stated.

In the spirit of good governance, the Ododo government inaugurated the steering committee on the Open Government Partnership (OGP) to ensure citizens’ participation in governance. At the inauguration of the steering Committee, Secretary to the State government, Mrs. Folashade  Ayoade stated that the Open Government Partnership is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from national and sub-national governments to promote open government, empower citizens, fight corruption and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. She noted that this is a programme that will place Kogi State on the global map in the areas of transparency, accountability and citizens’ participation.

According to her, “OGP was launched in 2011 to provide an international platform for domestic Reformers who are ready to make their government open, accountable and responsive to citizens. So today, we are gathered to reinforce and reiterate governments’ commitment to issues of transparency.”

The state is open to the vagaries characteristics of one with many adjoining states. In fact, Kogi shares boundaries with nine states with the attendant issues of insecurity. But since government is a continuum, Ododo inherited both the assets and liability of his predecessors in the quest to fast track the socioeconomic development and growth of the state. These assets and liabilities cut across the critical sectors of human and physical issues: security, infrastructure, education, and healthcare, to mention a few sectors. Ododo says he is undeterred in addressing those critical issues. He has gradually inspired public confidence in his commitment to a paradigm shift in style and approach to governance by encouraging inclusivity, collaboration and consultations on state matters, thus his rapport with the opposition politicians, all stakeholders’ in his All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi, the political and business elites, as well as peasants, traders, artisans and the generality of the population.

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) in Kogi State, for example, acknowledged the governor leadership. According to Its chairman, Mohammed Abdullahi “Governor Ododo, in the last eight months, has done well for the people of Kogi State. Salaries are paid before the 25th of every month, local government workers are now receiving 100 percent wages, the first for over 12 years; pensioners on a monthly basis keep smiling to the bank. This is a step in the right direction and a welcome development. CNPP is also aware of the massive infrastructural projects going on across the three senatorial districts of the state. His engagement of political office holders have also been balanced.” others lauded the governor for promoting a sense of belongings among the different parts of the state through even spread and distribution of government projects and walking the talk. Just recently, he appointed 717 Ward Special Assistants (WSAs) in his sustained efforts to taking governance to the grassroots. Shedding light on the action, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, said the appointments underlined the philosophy of Ofodo that power belongs to the people. He stated: “In the past, many of the Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants that were appointed live in the state capital and didn’t relate with the grassroots people. There was a gap between the pulse at the grassroots and the impression of the government. But with this novel strategy, the people at the grassroots are already jubilating over the commendable inclusive governance.” it It is recalled that the governor harped on his commitment the rural communities of his commitment to the development of urban and rural areas at the takeoff of the implementation of micro-community and group micro-projects in Lokoja. In this regard, more than 18,000 people are to benefit from the Clinic renovation, Well Construction and Science Laboratory for Aseni Community; Clinic Renovation and Motorised Borehole and Clinic Upgrade and Water Reticulation for Ihigeba Onro Bihu inTuturu community in Girinya area, while under the implementation of 170 Micro Projects, over 200,000 are direct beneficiaries. It has a multipurpose, including reducing poverty, hunger and encouraging self-reliance. In a similar vein, the distribution of fertiliser even as he flagged off wet season farming by presenting100 tractors to serve about 10,000 farmers in different communities across the 21 local governments. He promised: “I’ll be intentional in tracking these bags of fertilizer to ensure they reach the right places, in the right quantity, at the right time, and in the right hands of our dear farmers. The era of politicians hijacking fertilizers is over.” He said 75 percent of the farmland for cultivation will be allocated to youth and women farmers, underscoring that agriculture remained critical for the economic recovery.

Apart from his pragmatic efforts in addressing the welfare of members the judiciary, his determination to foster transparency and accountability is also evident in the construction of an audit complex. The objective is to guarantee judicious and effective deployment of resources as the audit complex; it will serve as a hub for auditing activities, providing a conducive environment for auditors to conduct their duties without interference.

Realizing that peace and security are sine qua non in achieving development, the governor embarked on fresh initiatives towards that goal. The operation code-named Metropolitan Quick Response, which is in partnership with the Rapid Response Squad of the Nigeria Police and the joint task force of security agencies in the state, was introduced. Ododo restated that he was ready to deal decisively with criminal elements in the state. “Today, we are flagging off the Metropolitan Quick Response (MQR) to advance our efforts in the safety and security of lives and property in Lokoja Metropolis and beyond. The flag off of the Metropolitan Quick Response operation is part of the evolving security measures to ensure we have a safe environment and to build on the solid foundation of our security architecture in the state. As a government, we are resolute in our determination to flush out criminal elements in every nook and cranny of Kogi State. Nothing will be spared to guarantee safety and security in every inch of the state and Kogi state will remain unsafe for criminal elements wherever they may be,” Ododo assured.

Having declared the safety and security of the citizens as a cornerstone of his administration, many residents say there is discernible and significant decline in crime rates as his approach to enhancing security is comprehensive encompasses collaboration with law enforcement agencies, community engagement, and the implementation of technology-driven solutions. The strengthening law enforcement agencies, increased funding and resources to the police force and other security outfits to enhance their capacity, efficiency and ability to combat crime and complementing all with his advocacy for better training for security agencies to further improve their operational capabilities is regarded as a major stride by the administration. Along with this is Ododo’s Community Policing Initiatives designed to foster cooperation between law enforcement and local communities. The creation of neighborhood watch groups and encouraging citizen participation in reporting crimes by the administration has led to a safer environment throughout the state.

Ododo has equally deployed technological advancement in security, a concept that become a cornerstone in the governo’s security strategy. Security gadgets such as introduction of surveillance systems and emergency response applications have improved monitoring capabilities across urban areas. The technological integration has allows for quicker responses to incidents and enhances overall situational awareness among security personnel. Along with this is that the Ododo’s administration actively sought collaboration with federal security agencies, including the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services (DSS), as they now conduct joint operations to combat banditry and kidnapping, among other crimes most prevalent before Ododo era. All of these efforts have collectively contributed to creating a safer environment for residents. This, Governor Ododo was glad to receive rescued CUSTECH students and subsequent provided gadgets for trained 1050 hunters to support security operations in the state is yielding positive results. But he is not resting on his oats; he has unveiled new security vehicles for operatives in the state, just as he introduced the Metropolitan Quick Response Squad, all in the bid to make the state safer and attract more Nigerians and foreigners to be conducting their business activities. The government engaged no fewer than 1050 local hunters into Kogi State Vigilance Service, distributed 105 operational vehicles and 42 Motorcycles to the 21 local government areas of the state.

The state Commissioner of Education, Mr Wemi Jones and the Special Adviser on Media to the governor, Ismail Isah, attested to the deliberate efforts by the governor to recalibrate governance and every critical sector in the state. For instance, the government has unveiled the Kogi State Scholarship Award 2024, which the commissioner said is one of the very few state governments that have strictly complied with the UNESCO charter that states must, as a matter of priority, earmark 30 per cent of the total earnings to fund the education sector. On his part, Ismaila said that Governor Ododo has made youths and women empowerment a focal point of the development agenda of the government.

Nonetheless, some Kogi stakeholders want the governor to further boost the presence of agro- allied industries in the state so that the expected boom in agricultural produce does not waste as it has been the case across the country for decades. They opened that such small and medium scale industries will enhance rural development and integration, curb rural-urban drift, create more employment for skilled rural dwellers, as well as further empower hundreds of thousands of people in the rural communities, and the industries will become another veritable source of internally generated revenues.

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