The Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Media, Hon. Ismaila Isah, has said that the present administration in the state led by Governor Usman Ododo has ensured a functional local government administration that is serving rural communities better.
The spokesman of the governor stated this when he fielded questions on a flagship programme of Trust Television: “Sunday Politics.”
According to Isah, the local government authorities in the state are autonomous as Governor Ododo does not interfere in their affairs, saying the chairmen have been adding value to governance at that level of government.
The Special Adviser noted that the state has secured 15 mining licences in a bid to bring the locals into the mining business, create job opportunities, and create wealth for the people of the state.
He said: “It will interest you to note that Kogi State has over 600 mining sites legally and there could be hundreds more that are illegal and out of all of these mining sites, the state and our people are not benefiting as they ought to benefit from the resources.
“Probably only one or two of the mining sites are owned by Kogi people who are genuinely interested in the wellbeing of the local communities.
“Some of these people that do mining businesses don’t even care about the environment.
“We own the resources, but we don’t benefit in any way, and this is what the state government is worried about.
“That is why we are adopting a local approach to mining in Kogi State.
“We are going to empower 25,000 of our young people to take an active part in the business.”
On security, Isah restated that the State Government, in collaboration with neighbouring states particularly, is working through intelligence gathering and surveillance towards nipping crimes and criminality in the bud.
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He maintained that in the agriculture sector, the Governor Ododo-led administration plans to provide 50,000 hectares of land for the new farming season in a bid to boost food security.
The Special Adviser outlined that the health sector is also getting the needed attention with hundreds of Primary Health Care Centres being remodelled, health insurance coverage for workers, pensioners and students in state-owned tertiary institutions among other interventions.
He pointed out that despite the impacts that Governor Ododo has made, he remains focused on providing good governance for the people of the State.
Isah stressed that the administration understands the urgency to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the people.
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