Connect with us

News From Kogi

Anti-Corruption Center rates Kogi CSDA high, Honours GM with IION

Published

on

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

CENTER for Ethics and Self-Value Orientation, an anti-corruption and Good Governance inclined Non-Government Organization, has rated Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA) as one of the topmost ethically responsible and least corrupt state agencies in the country.

Executive Director of the Center, Prince Saleh Musa Yakubu disclosed this during the conferment of awards and certificates on the General Manager and Management of the Agency in Lokoja.

He said that the 17-year-old Center, after a thorough scrutiny and independent investigation on its anti-corruption scale, scored the Agency, a cumulative 75 per cent in the Center’s Cumulative Corporate Performance Score.

“Kogi State Community and Social Development Agency ranks among top highly rated most ethically responsible and least corrupt state agencies in the country and is hereby presented with the Center’s Corporate Ethics and Integrity Compliance Certificate.

“This Agency has almost turned our Kogi State into a safe haven for community-inclined projects in different nooks and crannies of the state and therefore, deserves accolades.

He said that 1,000 questionnaires were usually distributed per Local Governments in Nigeria on yearly basis as indicators to ascertain leadership performance in organisations in the quest to tackle corruption in the country.

He adding that the Centre had over 1,500 whistleblowers spread out in all the 774 Local Governments Areas in Nigeria saddled with the singular responsibility of conducting secret independent assessments of the activities of public officers, individuals and corporate organisations.

Prince Saleh Musa Yakubu, Executive Director of the Center, flanked by Executive Members of the organization also honoured the General Manager of CSDA, Chief Dauda Momoh with an award of Integrity Icon of Nigeria (IION)

Yakubu also issued the General Manager with Ethical Leadership Conduct Compliance Award Certificate with a gold medal in Public Administration.

He said, “The Community and Social Development Agency won a gold medal for scoring above our benchmark of 65 percent. On that note may I confer on you, the honours of a gold medalist in public administration.

“Furthermore, it is my honor and privilege to confer on you, our lifetime highest title of Integrity Icon Of Nigeria. We want to differentiate this from other titles with an authority letter”, he said.

The Executive Director said that the honour on Chief Dauda Momoh was well-deserved, not negotiated for, neither paid for, but based on qualitative and critical assessment and quite in appreciation of his leadership qualities devoid of corruption and maladministration.

In his response, Chief Dauda Momoh rededicated the award to the management and staff of the Agency and commended the anti-corruption Centre for its interest in the activities of the Agency and checking corrupt practices in the effort to sanitize the public sector.

The General Manager said the award would spur him and his management team to do more and announced that the Agency had concluded plans to flag-off 40 micro projects in the next two weeks as part of its commitment to taking development to the grassroots.

He described the proposed flag-off as novel in the life of the Agency saying, “This is just the beginning, we are going to do more because what we are doing is just service to humanity and God has been helping us.

“I want to thank the current governor of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo for giving us necessary support and I also to thank the immediate past governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for providing this solid foundation that the current governor is building on”, he said.

At the award presentation ceremony, the Agency’s Operations Manager, Mr Bayode Oladipo, was presented with the Center’s letter of commendation for his Outstanding Professional Ethics Compliance and Quality Citizens Service Delivery in the Agency’s administration and Management in Nigeria.

Also honoured with letters of commendation for Outstanding Professional Ethics Compliance and Quality Citizens Service Delivery were, Mr Oludare Ayo (No Parking), Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Pastor Mark Abuh, Manager, Finance and Administration.

In his Vote of Thanks, Mr Bayode Oladipo thanked the Center for recognizing and identifying with the Agency in its modest service to humanity and pledged on behalf of the General Manager, Management and staff never to disappoint. (Ends)

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News From Kogi

Group applauds Senator Echocho’s relief efforts in Kogi East

Published

on

By

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.

Continue Reading

News From Kogi

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

Published

on

By

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.

Continue Reading

News From Kogi

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

Published

on

By

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)

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 National Update