Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has emerged as ‘The Sun Governor of the Year’ for 2020. His selection for the much-coveted award comes as a result of his outstanding achievement in office in close to six years, in the areas of peace, unity infrastructure, education and agricultural development,
among others.
The Sun Governor of the Year Award is given to the governor who has made a tremendous impact in governance and has ensured the socio-economic development of the state they govern.
In the history of Kogi State, Governor Yahaya Bello’s name will get an elegant mention as the man who worked hard for the transformation of the state into a modern one
one, particularly in terms of infrastructure development, youth and women empowerment, security enhancement, healthcare, education aid, agricultural development, among others.
At a time when the country is plagued by insecurity, GYB has done much to ensure that Kogi State is rid of security breaches and inter-tribal quabbles.
Kogi State to date has relative peace, with residents going about their businesses without fear and hindrance.
When Governor Yahaya Bello assumed office in 2016, he inherited myriads of security challenges. Kogi State at the time was the Den of Crime and criminalities.
Due to the state’s strategic location, armed robbers and kidnappers attacked travellers frequently. However, on resuming office, Yahaya Bello declared a full-blown war on armed robbers, criminals and kidnappers operating in the state.
While other governors were going to the Presidential Villa to beg for help to solve their security challenges, Yahaya Bello took it upon himself as the
Chief Security Officer of the state to safeguard the Kogi people from the men of the underworld. He provided the necessary equipment for security
agencies.
It is on record that Yahaya Bello provided over 200 utility vehicles and over 500 motorcycles, in one fell swoop, for security patrol. Governor Yahaya Bello also employed the services of vigilance security outfit, while also providing sophisticated gadgets for Operation Total Freedom (OPT), an outfit he established to stamp out criminal activities in the state.
Yahaya Bello also launched the Security Whistle Blower Policy, wherein reward was given to those who exposed criminals.
The Vigilante Service Operation (VSO) and the domestication of the Criminal Justice Code, which he put in place, were also instrumental to the security of lives and properties in the state. Also, the construction of the Army Forward Operational Base, in Okene, by His Excellency, was also part of measures that resulted in the peace enjoyed in the state today.
In a calculated move to avert farmers/herdsmen clashes, he created a dialogue and cooperation platform for free flow of communication between the Government and herdsmen, on one hand,
and the communities and herdsmen on the other hand. This move has ensured that both farmers and herdsmen are living peacefully together in the three senatorial districts of Kogi State.
Despite the meagre allocations received by his administration, he has been able to turn Kogi into a construction site, by engaging in renovation, construction and re-construction of road networks across the state, to improve on the aesthetics of Kogi popularly known as the Confluence State, through the beautification of the environment.
He has successfully rehabilitated roads in Kogi West that stretch up to 77 kilometres. Yahaya Bello rehabilitated the Kabba township road down to lyamoye, Ife Olukotun Ponyo, Jege. Ejuku and ljowa roads in Kogi West senatorial district. Also, the Ikeje-Ogugu-Ette Road that was last graded in the 1970s, has been constructed.
Governor Yahaya Bello has also provided succour to rural residents in some parts of Kogi East, through the light-up Kogi East Project’. He upgraded critical electricity distribution infrastructure to enable and enhance power evacuation from Itobe substation in Ajaokuta to most parts of Kogi East.
It is worthy of note that he is at the forefront of women empowerment, as he has given many Kogi women top political appointments and
strategic portfolios. Indeed, he has gone far beyond the 35% Affirmative Action for women and has made Kogi State a pacesetter and a model in gender inclusiveness. The list of achievements could go on and on.
It is for these reasons, and many others, that the Board of Editors of The Sun Publishing Limited have selected Governor Yahaya Bello as winner of The Sun Governor of the Year Award for the year 2020