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From Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
The Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in his new year broadcast and the last broadcast to the state has said he has been diligent enough to fulfil all his campaign promises both in the first and second term in office.
In a new year broadcast on Monday, governor Bello said he fulfilled all the five thematic programmes of his administration for the state and the nine sector of concentration in his second term.
Part of the broadcast reads;
“Welcome to 2024. For all of us fortunate enough to have seen the new year, it is only proper that we acknowledge the divine power that brought us through. Thus, as we bid farewell to 2023 and receive the new year that we have been given, let us do so with joy giving thanks to the Almighty God
“The past year presented many challenges, true, but it also gave us major triumphs, both of which make up the fabric of existence. It was a year that tested the mettle of individuals, peoples and nations, confronting us with all forms of challenges, but also presenting us with manifold opportunities
“For Nigeria, and especially our beloved state, Kogi, I will only say that the past 12 months testified to our resilience and fortitude. Our battles and victories reflect, not our wisdom or strength, but the mercy and help that the Almighty God, to Whom be all glory, bestowed upon us.
“On the 27th of January, 2024 we will mark the conclusion of the 8th year of our audacious journey in the New Direction Administration in Kogi State. By the grace of God, all people of goodwill can testify that we made each successive year to bring forth fruits that signify our brutal commitment to the progress of Kogi State. The cumulative results of our first and second terms reflect deliberate and sustained efforts during our tenure to fulfill the promises we made to you, our dear citizens.
“The Legacies we are leaving behind across the state echo louder as a scorecard than any words. They are the eloquent proof of our dedication to transformational leadership and effective governance that we promised you. Prioritizing you and your needs was my chief promise during my first Inauguration when I declared that my Administration would make all of Kogi’s resources work for all of Kogi’s people.
” Well, at this tail-end of our second term, we make bold to say that we have delivered on that promise to the best of our abilities, having regards to the state of the nation and the limitations imposed by available resources.
“In the First Term (2016 – 2019) we focused our agenda on five (5) thematic areas, namely, Education, Health, Job
Creation & Youth Empowerment, Infrastructure & Utilities, and Public Service & Pension Reforms.
“We expanded to nine (9) thematic areas in the Second Term (2019 – 2024) by the addition of Agriculture, Human Capital Development, Entrepreneurship & Youth Engagement, Security as well as Cooperation and Integration (the Socio-cultural Agenda) to the existing five focal areas. Today, our efforts in all of these areas of governance and more stand tall in spite of severe economic and security challenges.
“Our New Direction Administration broke new grounds, literally, in all our chosen priority areas. Today, hundreds of newly constructed or reconstructed primary, secondary and tertiary educational and health institutions are available for your use in communities across the State.
“This second term in particular saw intensified upgrade of public infrastructure and utilities in the state, with our secondary and tertiary educational and healthcare institutions being major beneficiaries.
” Our achievements include the founding of two brand new universities which are currently in session and the construction of a 300-bed Reference Hospital at Okene and at least full-fledged 6 District hospitals in our State. There has also been a complete overhaul of the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, transforming it into a centre of healthcare excellence.
“We all know how societal inequalities are often rooted in financial disinclusion, so, beside the vastly improved engineering infrastructure across board, we also instituted free education and a sweeping health insurance scheme across primary to secondary educational and healthcare levels. This is part of our resolve to alleviate the financial burden on our people” he said
He thanked the people of the state for giving him the privilege to choose his successor in the person of Usman Ododo and said the people will not regret for their support.
“The outcome of the 2023 Kogi State Governorship Elections is the greatest mark of approval you could have given to me as my time in Lugard House winds down, for now I can be certain, as far as is humanly possible, that our legacies will be continued and consolidated” he added.
