From Fred Itua, Abuja
Governor of Kogi State Yahaya Bello has been nominated for the 2020 ‘The Sun Governor of the Year Award’.
A letter which conveyed the governor’s nomination signed by the Managing Director/Editor-in-chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr Onuoha Ukeh, noted as outstanding the Kogi governor’s achievements in the areas of peace, unity, infrastructure, education and agricultural development, among others.
Mr Onuoha noted that in the state’s history the governor’s name would be remembered for transforming the state into a modern destination of infrastructural development, youth and women empowerment, security enhancement, healthcare and other areas of development.
He added that at a time when the country is being plagued by insecurity, the governor has done much in ensuring that the state is rid of security breaches and inter-tribal conflicts, noting the relatively peaceful status of the northcentral state, with residents going about their businesses without hindrances.
Part of the letter reads: ‘When you came to office in 2015 you inherited security challenges. Kogi state at that time was notorious as the den of crimes and criminalities. Due to the state’s strategic location, armed robbers and kidnappers attacked travellers frequently. However, on coming to office, you declared a full-blown war on armed robbers, criminals and kidnappers operating in the state.
‘While other governors were going to the presidential villa begging for help to solve their security challenges, you took it upon yourself as the Chief Security Officer of the state to safeguard your people from men of the underworld. You provided the necessary types of equipment for security agencies.’
Listing the governor’s achievements in infrastructure and policy, the Sun MD noted that despite the meagre resources of the state, Kogi has been turned into a construction site with several ongoing constructions, renovations and reconstructions.
He noted that the governor has provided succour to rural residents in some parts of Kogi East through the “Light up Kogi East Project”, while critical electricity distribution infrastructure has been upgraded to enable and enhance power evacuation from Itobe substations in Ajaokuta.
He noted that aside from many of these achievements, the Governor of the Year Award is given to an individual who has made a tremendous impact in governance, a status he affirmed the Kogi governor merited.
Receiving the letter of nomination, Governor Bello thanked the organisers for finding him worthy of the prestigious award. He said for a frontline newspaper like The Sun to have done their findings of his leadership in the state and to have nominated him as ‘The Sun Governor of the Year’ is a spur to push on him to do more for the people of Kogi.