Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State at the weekend reassured residents of the state of the commitment of his administration to sustain infrastructure development and improve service delivery in the state. He affirmed that the second wave of COVID-19 will not be an obstacle to his administration.
Governor Bello pointed out that coronavirus has never been allowed to determine public policies in Kogi State.
The governor noted that the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) did not cause any set back in education in the state; saying that the Kogi State government worked hard to ensure that students of tertiary institutions made sufficient progress.
Governor Bello revealed that the state government is ready to formally open the Confluence University of Science and Technology, was founded in December 2020 to reinforce capacity to produce and scale both manpower and investments in Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines, especially, Infotech and Artificial Intelligence.
Governor Bello revealed government’s efforts to improve the health sector in the state. According to him, “ his administration has been able to maintain normal services in all hospitals while advanced steps have been taken to reopen the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, which was closed following community unrest.” He also observed the functioning of the 600-bed Reference Hospital at Okene, and two General Hospitals – one at Ajaokuta and the other at Gegu-Beki.
Governor Bello stated that with the return of expatriates who left sites due to the COVID-19 guidelines, construction work on roads like the Idah-Ajaka-Umomi-Ejule to Ayingba roads are now fully reactivated.
The governor added that the Project Light Up Kogi East has continued to make progress with armored cabling across the Itobe bridge as well as massive installations and rehabilitation of distribution lines across the 9 local government areas in Kogi East.
“Contract for the Ganaja flyover will commence in the first quarter of 2021, and that marking of structures to be affected for compensation is already completed,” Governor Bello declared.
The governor further re-emphasised commitment to the development of the state economy. He pointed out that Kogi State did well in financial transparency and accountability, saying that the state scored 100% in the 2019 Annual Performance Assessment of Nigerian states under the states’ fiscal transparency, accountability, and sustainability.
Governor Bello also revealed efforts to tackle the security crisis on the state.