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Bello bags Award at Kogi Poly Convocation, Reiterates commitment to Education

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By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State on Saturday said the commitment of his government to Education is evidenced its heavy investment in the sector through uplift of existing institutions and creation of new universities.

The Governor disclosed this while speaking as The Visitor to State owned Polytechnic at its 4th combined Convocation Ceremony in spanning from 2013/2014 to 2022/2023 sets of the institution.

He said that Education was one of the five thematic areas of the New Direction of the government when he came on board.

“We have taken our time to look at the educational needs of our people, and we have invested and will continue to invest heavily in the educational sector of our economy”, he said.

The governor said that through the appointment of Associate Professor Salisu Usman Ogbo, as Rector of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, tremendous feat had been achieved.

“We did not only improve the infrastructure and the standard of learning in this great institution, but we have taken our time to expand our institutions so that our children will not have to travel so far to seek for knowledge.

“Hence, our determination to set up two brand new universities within four years, the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, and the newest one, Kogi State University, Kabba.

“By the special grace of God, on the 16th of this month, and like we promised, and God Almighty decided, we are going to attend the first matriculation of intakes into the Kogi State University, Kabba.

“I profoundly appreciate Dr Usman Ogbo for all of his efforts in repositioning this institution that was characterized with several anomalies in the past.

“Today, it is an institution of envy and worthy of emulation by all other polytechnics and other institutions not only in Kogi State, not only in Nigeria, but across the world”, he said.

The governor used the occasion to thanked the people of the state for electing the APC Candidate in the November 11, Governorship Election and his would-be successor, the Governor-elect, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.

He said, “I thank Dr Ogbo, I thank all of you, and of course the good people of Kogi State, for appreciating my modest contributions that have brought Kogi State up out there in this country and across the world.

“You show this appreciation on the 11th of November, last year, 2023, by resoundingly electing His Excellency, the Governor-elect, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo Who would by the special grace of God be inaugurated on the 27th of January 2024.

“By this time of that day, I would have become the former Governor. And of course, we ensured that Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Governor-elect, passed through the best hands.

“He went through the blast furnace and he came out shining, golden, and ready to take the state to the next level”, he enthused.

Governor Bello was also at the 4th Combined Convocation Ceremony of the Polytechnic conferred with a fellowship award for Outstanding Performance on “Infrastructure And Human Capital Development” by the Rector, Dr Salisu Ogbo Usman.

Four other distinguished Nigerians who also bagged fellowship of the institution include Alhaji lsa Ozi-Salami, Member representing Kogi State in the governing Council of the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) for his positive contributions to the Polytechnic.

Others are: Prof. Idris Muhammad Bugaji, Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE); Barr Umoru Jimoh, Chairman, Board of Directors, IHS Nig. Ltd; and Barr. Moses Azubuike Okafor. (Ends)

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News From Kogi

Group applauds Senator Echocho’s relief efforts in Kogi East

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Jibrin Isah Echocho

The Kogi Democratic Group (KDG) has expressed appreciation for the recent initiatives by Senator Jibril Isah Echocho (APC/Kogi East) in addressing the hardships facing residents of the senatorial district.
In a statement on Wednesday, KDG Protem Secretary Inuwa Lawal highlighted Senator Echocho’s distribution of rice and essential food supplies, which brought immediate relief to the local communities.
The group also praised Senator Echocho’s commitment to long-term infrastructure improvements.
Among his achievements, the installation of boreholes has provided stable access to clean water, and the distribution of fertilizer has offered crucial support to local farmers, helping to strengthen agriculture in the region.

According to Lawal, Kogi East has not witnessed such progress with the past senators, citing Echocho’s active representation in the 9th and 10th Senate as a “leadership with vision and mission.”
He urged the senator to remain focused, despite distraction from his traducers as he acknowledged Echocho’s unique contributions at Senate proceedings, committee work, oversight activities and through motions and bills
The group encouraged Senator Echocho to continue his impactful work, calling on him to sustain the progress that has benefited Kogi East and enriched the lives of its residents.

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Echocho’s Constituency Empowerment outreach Continues with donation of Rice, cash to widows

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Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), representing Kogi East, has extended his support to hundreds of widows across the Senatorial disctrict with the donation of 50 kg bags of rice and cash.
His special Adviser on Media Mikail Ibrahim in a statement that was made available to tye National Update in Abuja on Sunday indicated that the philanthropic effort is part of a weeklong empowerment program aimed at providing relief and support to vulnerable members of the community.

The distribution, which began last week and continued on Sunday, the statement said has witnessed a large turnout of beneficiaries, many of whom expressed deep gratitude for the assistance, particularly amid ongoing economic difficulties.
The statement pointed out that that Senator’s initiative is seeking not only to address food insecurity but also to empower the widows by providing them with the financial resources needed to manage their households effectively.
A representative of the senator, Alhaji Danlami Garba, emphasized the importance of supporting widows, who often face significant economic hardship after the loss of their spouses.
He highlighted that by combining food assistance with cash donations, the senator is empowering the women to make independent choices that best suit their families’ needs, thus fostering both dignity and self-reliance.

Echocho’s empowerment programs also target to uplift the youth and women through education, skills training, and entrepreneurship to create a sustainable and supportive environment for community development.

The senator’s initiative is a reflection of sustained effort to strengthen Kogi East’s economy, provide hope for a better future, and promote resilience among the most vulnerable groups.

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News From Kogi

INGRA urges Kogi govt to complete Lokoja-Ganaja road, mass transit scheme

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Hamza Aliyu, Executive Director, INGRA.

***Commends Kogi Govt on construction of Zone 8-Kabba Junction, Assembly roads

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

THE Initiative For Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria (INGRA), a Kogi-based Civil Society Organization has called on Kogi State Government to urgently take over and complete the Lokoja-Ganaja road to assuage the pains of Kogi people and numerous motorists plying the road.

Mr Hamza Aliyu, Human Rights activist and Executive Director, INGRA, who made the call in a statement on Saturday in Lokoja also commended the State Government for the completion of Zone-8 to Otokiti-Shettima-Zango-Kabba Junction as well as on-going Zone 8-Junction-House of Assembly-Crusher roads.

The Executive Director said that the growth of Lokoja metropolis as a result of population and development has led to upspringing of settlements on the outskirts of the State Capital.

He held that this phenomenon which is not peculiar to the state capital alone was visible in other fast growing cities adding that such settlements around Lokoja include Otokiti, Shettima, Zango and Crusher areas as well as Ganaja.

He noted that many citizens of the State Capital reside in these areas but commute to work in Lokoja due mostly to cost of housing and transportation among others.

Aliyu however pointed out that the removal of Fuel Subsidy by the President Ahmed Tinubu Government on the 29th of May, 2023 had exposed the weak infrastructure and poor public sector service provision.

This, he said, is particularly in the movement of people, goods and services which is critical for development saying, “This is particularly true in these settlements.

“The absence of a road network and a proper mass transit system, further exacerbated the situation with it’s attendant consequences”, he said.

The consequences according to him include: insecurity, high cost of transportation, bad health situation due to the tremendous dust that residents are exposed to during the harmattan season, weak standard of living, with pressure on resources and facilities in the State Capital.

He hinted that several governments had attempted to solve the Zone 8-kabba junction road challenge to no avail until the Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello administration began construction in 2023 with fears on possible completion when the regime ended.

“However new administration of Alhaji Usman Ododo surprised everyone with the speed and dedication it has completed the project with 10 months of the administration.

“This has brought a huge relief to residents of the area and rejuvenated their belief in this administration. We wish to commend His Excellency for this feat as it has far reaching implications economically and health wise on the area.

In this regards we also call on the Governor to also take over and complete the Ganaja road so that Lokoja citizens will finally feel the full effects of the “Ododo Magic.”

“We also urge the Government to as a matter of urgency follow up this remarkable achievements on roads by establishing a functional mass transit system in Lokoja the State Capital.

It is sad that citizens are left at the mercy of Keke and okada operators who decide the mode and cost of transportation in the State.

The Civil Society man however called on citizens to always engage their government actively by paying their taxes and protecting public infrastructure. (Ends)

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