By Otori Ozigi
Today, is the first official working day in the life of the administration of the newly inaugurated Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman.
There is no gainsaying that the task of supretending over a poor and heterogeneous state like Kogi is an enormous and challenging one, when you consider the political dynamics and diversity of the various forces that would be contending for the little resources of the state, abniso.
True, the task of governing the state would not be a tea party for the new government, that is premised on consolidation and continuity.
It is against this backdrop that it has become imperative for a clear-cut roadmap that would engender a successful tenure and good governance for Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman.
One of such dynamics is the need for the new government of Alhaji Ododo to diversify the economy of the state by embracing mechanise agriculture and harnessing tourism potentials in the state.
If you fact check me, you will discover that Kogi State is today the leading state in cassava and cashew production in the country. The new government should therefore make conscious efforts to harness the full opportunities that are available in agriculture sector.
There should be food security in the state to address the rising high cost of food items in the state,as confirmed severally by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
In the same vein,it is public knowledge that the state has a good history in tourism potentials.
The state is blessed with numerous historical monuments like the first primary school in northern Nigeria and the abode of lord lugard, located at mount pati, Lokoja.
The government of Alhaji Ododo should do everything humanly possible to cut down on cost of governance by embracing e-governance and cutting-edge technology in some strategic sectors of the economy of the state.
There should be concerted efforts to improve the IGR performance of the state to complement the monthly allocations from the federation account committee.
All hands should be on deck to achieve the N50b IGR target set for the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service, KGIRS, for this year, which is considered as realistic and doable by stakeholders in the tax sector in the state.
The government of Alhaji Ododo should also address frontally the perennial problem of portable water in some communities in the state, including that of the Kogi central in particular.
On the whole, the government of Alhaji Ododo should ensure that there is equity, fairness and social justice in power sharing and distribution of the resources of the state for the greatest benefits of all Kogites.
There should be politics of inclusiveness of all sections of the state in Kogi politics under his watch.
I want to see a situation when an Ogori/magango man would win election to represent the good people of Okene/Ogori magango federal constituency at the federal house of representatives,under this dispensation.
It is high time people of good conscience in that constituency should make this a reality.Enough of this unconscionable marginalization.
In conclusion therefore,we expect nothing but good governance and government of human face from the new government of Alhaji Ododo Ahmed Usman, in the years ahead.
May God help him to heal the land of all the wrongs and mistakes of the past.
Welcome on board, Alhaji Ododo,an astute accountant,political strategist and economic literate leader,who is now in charge at Lugard house, Lokoja, the seat of government.
