The Kogi Renaissance Group has slammed Kogi State governor, over what it described as a threat by the state to treat students like kidnappers.
According to the group, the governor’s statement is a joke taken too far.
Read the full text of their statement below:
Undoubtedly the path, which the governor has taken, is detrimental to the well being and fundamental rights of the entire Kogites, hence, he should be closely checked and cautioned.
The threat by the state governor that he will treat students like kidnappers is a joke taken too far. The governor who is the chief security of the state is expected to concentrate on good governance and go after the kidnapers that have taken over the state. Instead, the Bello-led government has reduced governance to a mere child’s play.
It is obvious there is a vacuum of leadership in the state and the governor now looks helpless and clueless while the state is at a stand still.
The reign of impunity, fraud, kidnapping, insecurity and assassinations has become the order of the day. The governor, instead of concentrating on good governance and people-oriented programmes, is busy chasing shadows. His choice of words is not going down well with the good people of Kogi state.
Despite all these, the state government has engaged in financial recklessness, awarding contracts without tender and publication for public bidding. The renovation of the Kogi state House of Assembly Complex and the renovation of Lugard House and presidential lodge were awarded by Bello to his cronies without competition and a tender board constituted. These are multi million Naira contracts, yet treated as the private affairs of the Governor.
The state is in a state of coma and economic quagmire and therefore needs an urgent attention.
Governor Bello is at war with everybody including that of his own. He is at war with the organized Labour Union. He is at war with the Academic Staff Union of the University. He is at war with the state speaker Hon. Jimoh Lawal Momoh. He is at war with banking institutions as FCMB is currently in Court with the state Government. Eventually, governor Bello is at war with everybody. We are worried by impunity and maladministration that has characterized the administration of Bello and his inability to adjust and learn the system.
This ugly development is having a strong negative impact on the state, as the Economic activities of the state are on a stand still. The industrial action embarked upon by the organized Labour is still ongoing and the governor is showing an I don’t care attitude.
We can authoritatively inform this media house that till now there is no any official communication initiated by the governor or Kogi state government on the way out of the ongoing strike that has paralyzed the state’s activities.
The students of the higher institutions are home for more than 3 months, which led to the protests organized by the students of the affected institution. It is expected of the governor to call an expanded meeting with the ASUU Kogi state chapter and other critical stakeholders, but to our greatest surprise, the governor took to the media and announced that he will treat the students like Kidnapers. This development is giving us deep concern as the state is directly moving in a very wrong direction and if nothing is done on that it is a direct invitation to anarchy and insecurity.
The state that is battling with kidnapers on the prowl, armed robbery has taken over the major highways in the state, the civil servants are dying of different ailments resulting from hunger, due to the inability of the state Government to pay them their entitlements, backlog of areas and salaries. Despite N20 billion bailout fund loan collected by the state Government, the Governor is busy chasing shadows.
We urge the governor to set up a committee that will ensure implementation of the N20 billion bailout fund in order to cushion the effects of hunger and malnutrition in the state orchestrated by his bad governance and his inability to listen to public outcry.
The Renaissance Group also warned of any attempt by the state Government to frame up any of those students that took part in that peaceful protest.
We ask the governor to stand tall and meet up with the leadership responsibility of the state.
The governor shouldn’t hesitate in identifying the capable hands that can help him meet up the challenges of leadership instead of looking helpless and resorting to threats, blackmail and sponsored propaganda against those he perceives or considers opposed to his leadership style.
Usman Okai Austin
Executive Secretary
Kogi Renaissance
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