Final staff screening report shocking —Gov. Bello

Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has said the final report on the screening of civil servants in the state would shock his critics when it is finally released.

Apart from this, the governor also urged the people to key into the agricultural policies of his administration, to reduce the level of poverty in the state.

He assured the people of the state that his administration was working towards ensuring that Kogi State ranks among the best in Nigeria.

The governor, who disclosed this while addressing a group of investors, in Lokoja, said he would not be deterred by those who are resisting change in the state, urging the people to remain steadfast as his efforts will soon transform into “positive results.”

He assured the civil servants and pensioners of his administration’s readiness to clear their salaries and pensions arrears before the end of the year, saying the delay was as a result of the collation of reports by the screening committee.

“We have made salary payment a continuous process. Those who have been certified to be genuine workers will continue to receive their wages, until we are able to defray all their arrears. Pensioners will also be receiving their pensions, as my administration hope to defray all salary and pension arrears before the end of the year. A good number of workers that have been cleared as well as pensioners have been paid. But we shall not rest until every genuine worker or pensioner is paid.

“The rot in the system is humongous. The report will shock our critics. But what is paramount to us now is for all genuine workers and pensioners to receive their pay and have food on their table.

“The reports are being processed by some professionals. At the end of the day, we would have achieved our aim of stopping the flow of our resources into unintended pockets.”

Bello said his administration was poised to deliver on its promises as contained in the New Direction Blueprint.

“A number of investors have started operations in Kogi State, and we are expecting a good number of others to come and invest in our state, to create jobs and prosperity. We are the mineral capital of Nigeria, and my administration would ensure the state taps into this stupendous advantage, for progress and development.

“I wish to thank the international community for believing in Kogi State; for believing in our dreams and for their readiness to partner with us, to take the state to new heights. With the abundance of mineral resources in Kogi State, we shouldn’t have had anything to do with poverty.

“Poverty of ideas is worse than poverty of resources. My administration will match ideas with our resources to make Kogi State better.”

Speaking on efforts to boost agriculture in the state, he said his administration was determined to make farming viable and less stressful, to encourage youth and women to key into the sector.

According to him, the 2017 Budget which will soon be presented to the state house of assembly would help achieve the “New Direction” goals, as it will contain “low-hanging fruits as well as long term development plans.”