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From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi state has said he was confident he has not disappointed Kogites in his two years in office saying he has done his best to transform the state to an enviable height.
Ododo made this disclosure on Thursday in lokoja at the 3-Day training programme on promoting development and infrastructure growth in alignment with the 32- year development plan.
The governor who was represented by the state commissioner of Finance and Budget , Asiru Asiwaju Idris said the strategic training was geared towards making kogi state one of the best industrialized states in the Nigeria.
“We are here to re-arm ourselves intellectually, sharpen our execution skills, and anchor every decision, every resolution, and every kobo of public funds into the bold vision of the Kogi State we all aspire to see in 2056—a prosperous, industrialised, secure and equitable Confluence of Opportunity.
“Let me begin with a simple truth: leadership is not measured by the promises we make on campaign platforms; it is measured by the changes our people can touch, drive on, and feel in their pockets and in their hearts.
“In less than two years, this administration has moved from rhetoric to results. Allow me to place before you not a catalogue of intentions, but a balance sheet of delivery.
“We decided that Kogi would no longer remain a civil-service dormitory. We revived the Confluence Rice Mill with private-sector partnership; today, Kogi rice is back on shelves and hundreds of our youths now have direct employment.
“We supported over seven thousand farmers with inputs worth more than seven billion naira—100% free—during the last wet season.
“By refurbishing 140 abandoned tractors at a fraction of the cost of new ones, we saved the treasury over twenty billion naira, which is now being used to build roads and hospitals.
“Five hundred women and youths today are proud poultry owners because we gave them not fish, but the means to produce fish—viable farms.
“Through KEDA, six billion naira in grants and soft loans has reached more than fifteen thousand micro, small and medium enterprises across the twenty-one local government areas.
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“You can walk into Okene, Kabba, Ankpa and other communities today and meet these beneficiaries.
“Fitch Ratings rewarded our credit profile with a “B” stable outlook, clear evidence of fiscal discipline and improved performance.
“Intensified efforts are being made on the New Ultra-Modern Market located along the Zone 8–Crusher Road. This market sits on 25 hectares of land, and our objective is to open up the area, boost trade, and create a massive hub for commercial activities to thrive upon completion.
“The Lokoja Ultra-Modern Market is poised to redefine market architecture in Nigeria.
The President has granted approval for the development of our International Airport at Zariagi. This is a legacy that this administration is fully committed to seeing through.
“The design has been completed, and tendering is imminent. Our aim is to expand economic growth and investment, enhance trade and connectivity, strengthen infrastructure and urban development, promote social and regional integration, and, most importantly, create a wide range of job opportunities for the youths of Kogi State.
“The proposed Kogi Free Trade Zone, planned on about 3,000 hectares within the Ajaokuta economic corridor, will in a matter of days be formally announced, as the President has graciously approved its development.
“The Zone aims to harness Kogi’s natural resources, agricultural potential, and geographic advantage for value-added manufacturing, processing, export, and industrialization.
“We are confident that this will serve as another avenue for job creation, economic growth, stimulation of entrepreneurship, industrialization, and the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment.
“We reaffirm our commitment to the Alape Processing Zone— a broader agro-industrial programme under the national Special Agricultural Processing Zone (SAPZ) initiative— which will enhance our drive to attract private sector investment (both foreign and domestic) under a coordinated framework with federal agencies and development partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB).
“These are deliberate steps to move Kogi State from consumption to production—from civil-service dependence to agro-industrial dominance.” He added
