Bello’s Eight Years of Service to Humanity in Kogi

Ibrahim Oyewale writes that Governor Yahaya Bello has made much impact in his eight-year tenure in the Confluence state despite the general perception and opinion of his perceived political opponents.

On January 27, 2024 to be precise, the administration of Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello will come to an end and  pave way for that of Ahmed Usman Ododo who had won the November 11, 2023  governorship election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress APC in Kogi State.

Bello who ventured into the state political landscape in 2015 contested for governorship primary election on the platform of the APC culminating in his becoming number one citizen of Kogi State on  27th of January 2016. The rest is history. Bello has come, saw and conquered, most importantly, he has etched his name in gold following his spectacular performance in the last eight years. 

Notwithstanding the critical circumstances that brought him in as the Governor of Kogi State and litany of opposition, Bello however navigated through thick and thin in the past eight years and berthed in style with numerous successes achieved in the State.

Shortly after taking oath of office on January 27, 2016, the new administration which was  tagged a “New Direction Administration” led by the young Yahaya Bello highlighted thematics areas for the government such as security of lives and property, health,  education, civil service reforms and provision of infrastructures across the length and breadth of Kogi State.

Motivated by a desire to address underdevelopment in Kogi state, Bello constituted a screening committee to look at the various crises rocking the engine room of government – the Civil Service – with the aim of repositioning it. The exercise was greeted with opposition from the labour union and characterised with a lot of noise particularly fron the workers.

By and large, Bello’s administration succeeded  in weeding out the bad elements and was able to raise Kogi Civil Service to a bar comparable with any State in the federation or ever more  better.

This singular act has not only fetched the state accolades and receipient of international awards as the most transparent state and also for adhering strictly to Budget principles. He was  also able to determine the monthly wage bill for the State against hitherto ever increase in payment of huge monthly bill .

No doubt about the fact that before the advent of Governor Bello’s administration in Kogi State, the State was known as a flash point for all forms of criminal activities such as armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism and killings. But on assumption of office, Bello swung into action by declaring zero tolerance for crimes in the state and asked the criminals to relocate to another place as Kogi would no longer be a safe destination for them.

He marched his word with action as he donated over 150 Hilux vans to the forner Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris Kpotun, to combact crimes in the state.

Not only that, he was determined to ensure the setting up of Joint Security Task Force in the state comprising all the security agencies in Kogi State in collaboration with the State government to reduce the rate of crime.

For taking critical steps to stem the high tide of insecurity in Kogi and Nigeria at large, the then Inspector General  of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun recognised Bello’s efforts in fighting insecurity  and subsequently became the first  Governor to be so honoured with Nigerian Police award as best Governor on Security.

In the area of Agriculture, it is a known fact that Kogi is an agraian State and in line with the determination to ensure food security in the State, the Bello-led administration established the largest Rice Mill at Ejiba with capacity to employ over 2000 workers as the project also targetted to move unemployed youths out of the street .This is in addition to various agricultural  programmes initiated by the new direction administration in the State.

The Health sector’s services delivery was second to none in Kogi State under the leadership of Bello in the past eight years as it received financial  boost.

Having realised  the importance of wellness of the people of the State and in a bid to discourage medical tourism abroad, Governor Bello established a gigantic Reference Hospital in Okene equipped with modern medical facilities, while he rehabilitated the Prince Abubarkar Audu University Teaching Hospital in Anyingba. Government also upgraded the General Hospitals at Adogo in Ajaokuta Local government and  Isanlu in Yagba East Local government area of the State and similarly established new General Hospital at Gegu in Kogi Local government area.

Just like the health sector, Governor Bello’s administration also made an indelible mark on the sound of time in the education sector of the State Apart from the fact that model primary and secondary schools were established across the state, it is incontrovertible fact that Bello was the first governor to establish two Universities within the four years of his second tenure in office. These are legacy projects which would outlive the administration and many  citizens would live to remember.

As part of efforts to provide manpower for the growth and ever increase in the  technological revolution across the globe, Governor Bello approved the establishment of the Confluence University of Science and Technology at Osara in Adavi local government area of the State during the Covid 19 era in 2020.

His Administration also championed a ‘New Direction’ agenda  to promote development in Kogi State. The “New Direction Blueprint’ utilized the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) to address multidimensional poverty and leadership. The  State received recognition at the 72nd United Nations Assembly (UNGA) for its successful implementation of the SDGS 

Although people may have different  views about Governor Bello, his transformational leadership showed in his efforts to tackle systemic inequalities in Kogi State, promote tribal unity, religious harmony equity, youth inclusiveness and the inclusion.of persons with disabilities. The beneficiaries refered to him as “someone who had  made son of nobody to become somebody” because they never imagined to be in the position they occupied under the new direction administration.

Governor Bello’s leadership qualities extended beyond his state. Tasked with several assignments to avert looming crises and make peace, he always successfully executed special duties for the APC and helped to mobilise young people into politics and the APC.

In a chat with the State Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Bello prior to November 2023 governorship election, he explained that his party still remains the one to beat in Kogi State, stressing that the party under the present administration of Governor Yahaya Bello has done well in every facet of life in Kogi. He said that notwithstanding the critics’ opinion about the administration, the APC has a lot of achievements to show to the people of the state.

A member of opposition Party who spoke to Thisday on the condition of anonymity, stated that he was not a member of the All Progressive Congress APC nor a fan of the Governor , but that he has come to term with the reality that Yahaya Bello has done extremely well in the area of infrastructural development.

He highlighted some of the tangible infrastructures put in place by the Bello-led administration to include Revenue House, Reference Hospital Okene, General Hospital Gegu in Kogi local government area, General Hospital in Isanlu in Yagba East, General Hospital in Adogo in Ajaokuta local government area,  Rehabilitation of Prince Abubakar Audu University Teaching Hospital, Anyigba in Dekina local government

 Kogi Rice Mills in Yagba West, Establishment of University of Science and Technology, Osara in Kogi Central, establishment of new Kogi State University in Kabba, Kabba/Bunu local government area of the State .

Other discerning legacy projects are President Muhammadu Buhari Civil centre, GYB Model Science School in Adankolo, Lokoja, Overhead Bridge at Ganaja junction which has eased the hitherto gridlock and construction of roads across the three senatorial districts.

One of the uniqueness of Bello’s administration to the discerning public was that as his tenure was drawing to a close, the more the government was constructing and rehabilitating roads within the Lokoja metropolis.