***promises improved economy in all sectors, nip greed, irresponsibility
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Newly inaugurated Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo has said that his government will hit the ground running with people-oriented projects even as urged them to brace up for necessary but hard choices for sustenance of good governance.
Ododo made the disclosure in his post inaugural speech shortly after administration of Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance on him by the state Chief Judge, Justice Josiah Majebi and subsequent handing over ceremony.
The governor stated that as the state grapple with challenges of the past, the people must reckon that a new era has berthed and urged, “We must therefore work together to stem the tide of greed and irresponsibility in whatever guise, shape or form.
“We must be prepared to make hard choices in our collective effort to birth a new day in our state. The unity and cooperation of every one of us will greatly contribute to the peace and progress of our dear state.
“Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, despite the election storm that threatened to set brothers and sisters against one another, we are here today.
“Because we have chosen unity over disunity, greatness over petty grievances and peace over perilous acts of recrimination and worn-out dogmas of ethnic jingoism.
“Kogi State cannot afford to revert back to the fractured psyche, riddled with scars of ethnicity that violated the values and the very fabric that bounds our people together.
“As a people, we must remain faithful and true to the ideals and dreams of our founding fathers.
“The Kogi agenda has prevailed and our state and people are better for it. We are sure that we shall deliver on our promises of a united, secure, progressive and prosperous Kogi State.
“Our approach will be open, frank and rugged, but I am confident that it will lead us eventually to progress and prosperity.
We must be prepared to make hard choices in our collective effort to birth a new day in our state. The unity and cooperation of every one of us will greatly contribute to the peace and progress of our dear state”, he said.
The newly inaugurated Governor said time had come for the people to commence the process of achieving a charter of equity on power rotation in the state.
According to him, this is because “it is now apparent that no single senatorial district in the state can go it alone without the cooperation and support of others who are core equals in the political configuration of our state.”
Ododo said his government will hit the ground running with the people-oriented projects that would be delivered with utmost focus on the well-being of the people pledging to govern with transparency, probity and accountability at all times.
The governor expressed optimism that the economy of the state would witness remarkable improvement based on the solid foundation laid by Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration.
He pledged to further open up Kogi state to investors willing to collaborate under the already provided robust public Private partnership (PPP) framework.
“We are going to make Kogi State an attractive investment destination for local and foreign investors.
On infrastructures, Ododo pledged that in the new era, more homes would be built, more jobs created as businesses are expected to blossom while farmland thrive.
“Our health care system will witness massive improvement in scale and efficiency, our school will be filled and our teachers will have more reason to smile on their way to the classrooms.
Our youth will find more avenues to build skills for innovation and creative enterprises, and the welfare of our women shall be the utmost priority of this administration”, he said.
According to the governor, there are some bare faced challenges facing the nation’s economy, particularly foreign exchange, unemployment and inflationary trends.
Efforts of the state government in tackling these challenges would require completing all critical infrastructural projects of the immediate past administration that are dear to the well-being of our people and by tapping into existing opportunities for partnership with the Federal Government.
They will also focus on “our areas of comparative advantage, such as Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Agriculture, Marine and Blue Economy, Tourism and Creative Economy.
“As well as information technology and digital economy, where our youth population with tremendous energy can be hugely mobilized to become key players in the value chain.
“As a government, we are extremely optimistic and we have very high ambitions which may not be met easily or in a short span of time.
“But let me assure you that with the guardianship from God Almighty, support from our elders, the enterprise of men and women who will serve in this administration and with the full cooperation of you all, our expectations will be met.
“Our dream will be made up of individuals with ambitions greater than what you have seen before now”, he pledged. (Ends)