The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has presented cheques worth millions of naira to Odu Ikaka and Odu Ajaruwa eke communities in the Dekina local government area for the stepping down of electricity to these villages.
The project is to be implemented under the community and social development project funded by the Kogi State government.
Governor Bello while speaking during the official presentation of cheques to the leaders of the two communities for the implementation of the projects in Lokoja, expressed his administration’s determination to invest in the transformation of the rural areas through the agency.
The governor who was represented by the state Auditor-General, Alhaji Yakubu Yusuf Okala observed that the electrification projects when completed would uplift the well-being of grassroots dwellers and boost their socio-economic status.
According to the governor, the projects would be finished in record time and the people will celebrate this year’s Christmas and New year with light in their houses asserting that it is in fulfilment of his campaign promises to the people.
”These two Communities have lived for a decade without electricity due to political reasons of the immediate past administration of Capt Idris Wada who hailed from the area, but Governor Yahaya Bello demystified all odds to bring comfort and succour to the populace through his administration’s doggedness and actions”.
Governor Bello admonished the two benefiting villages to adequately utilise the funds provided to them and equally assured the resolve of the present administration in allocating more resources to the agency in the fulfilment of its mandate to do more for rural areas.
In a keynote address, the General Manager of the agency, Chief Dauda Momoh explained that the two community projects are the second to be financed by the state government after the closure of the World Bank funding for CSDP last year.
He further informed that with the issuing of fifty per cent cheques for the commencement of work for the electrification to two benefiting communities, the light will be available for the communities for the Christmas and New year’s festivals.
Chief Dauda also tap the state Auditor General, Alhaji Yakubu Okala on the back for his deep interest and support for his people saying that the projects for the two communities were made possible by settling the Communities counterpart fund which fast-track the process of work
Mallam Akowe who spoke on behalf of the Communities and doubles as the community’s project monitoring committee commended the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello for bringing smiles to the faces of the people by extending dividends of democracy to their areas.
He lauded their illustrious son and the state Auditor General, Alhaji Yakubu Yusuf Okala for rekindling the lost glory of their communities with the payment of the counterpart funding and assured them of the judicious utilization of the resources for the reason it was given.
The all-important and epoch-making ceremony climaxed with the signing of the grant agreements and the presentation of cheques to the benefiting communities by the governor’s representative.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then