In the recently conducted November 11, 2023 gubernatorial election in Kogi State, a new leader, Alh. Usman Ododo, has emerged to guide the destiny of the promising Kogi State from January 28, 2024. As we witness the transition process, it is imperative to emphasize the critical roles the newly elected governor must focus on in steering Kogi towards rapid socioeconomic development by swiftly moving from elections to governance and socioeconomic development. The good people of Kogi State must also begin to align their expectations and civic advocacies with these roles and be ready to participate actively as key stakeholders if the needed development will be achieved in the state.
To the newly elected governor, it is important to start working on these roles before the assumption of duties in January 2024. Your readiness and preparation to commence work on these roles prior to the swearing-in ceremony will determine the extent to which the cabinet members to be appointed will accept and work to deliver the needed change in the state; the quality and intentionality of the governor-elect’s preparation will determine the kind and level of success to be achieved in office.
Now that the elections are over, the first role the newly elected Kogi governor must immediately commence work on is the recognition and acknowledgement of the Mandate for Change the people has given to him. The outcome of the election signals a collective desire for progress and change among Kogi’s citizens. The governor must recognise this mandate as a call to action and as a responsibility to usher in a transformative era in the state, one that prioritises good and inclusive governance that will benefit all the diverse zones and stakeholders in the state. The governor need to ensure that nepotism, tokenism, and other elements of divisive governance do not feature in his administration. The people desired a positive transformation in the State, Mr. Governor should begin to plan to give them that. This will reflect in the choice of cabinet members the governor will appoint, policy decisions and priorities, the quality, spread, and relevance of development projects and programmes in the annual budget, the quality of citizens participation and engagements in governance, as well as transparency and accountability mechanisms embraced by the new governor, among others. I believe the new governor, being an Auditor, understands the importance of transparency and accountability.
As part of the expected tranformation is Economic and Fiscal Diversification. Kogi’s economy has over-relied on traditional sectors and hand outs from the federal government in terms of federal allocations which currenty constitutes 76.6% of the State’s total recurrent revenue as of December 31, 2022. The governor must intentionally champion diversification initiatives to create resilience and sustainable growth that will in turn reduce the vulnerability of the State to fiscal shocks and the high dependence on federal allocations through the increase in IGR these initiatives will engender. Examples of such initiatives include driving rapid investment in agribusiness, renewable energy, service sector, and technology to unlock new economic potentials evolving globally. Of utmost urgency is the need for the state government to develop and promote a robust and globally accessible Investment Brochure or Prospectus, detailing the specific potentials (backed with quality data) and readiness of the state to do business in the above growth sectors of the state, and the available incentives to woo local and foreign investors to invest in each of the sectors. Although blessed with vast land, mineral resources, youthful population, proximity to the nation’s seat of power, as well as being the gateway between the Northern and Southern regions of Nigeria, Kogi State’s economy is currently far below its potential. The onus is now on the new governor whether to transform Kogi State into a 21st Century economy or to maintain the status quo of sub-optimal macro-fiscal performance.
The next role that is very critical to expanding the economy of Kogi State is the resonsibility of Infrastructural Overhaul: Inadequate infrastructure (both hard and soft infrastructures) has impeded Kogi’s growth, for example, the road networks across the communities in Kogi State are delapitated and cannot attract investors to grow the local economy of these communities and the State at large, the same goes for the electricity supply infrastructure. The State attracted no foreign investments as of the first half of 2023 as reported by NBS because of obvious reasons as these and the difficulty of doing business in the State evidenced in the poor ranking of the State in the 2023 Ease of Doing Business Ranking where the state ranked 22nd out of 36 States and the FCT (scoring 5.22 out of an index score of 10). The new governor must prioritise infrastructure development and other business enabling policies and reforms to drive the economic growth of the State. Strategic projects such as road networks, power supply improvements, water supply, quality healthcare infrastructure, drainages and sewage systems, industrial layouts, and technological infrastructures are crucial for attracting needed investments into the State. Chief to this is the need to work to attract private finances to reduce the accumulation of debts to finance infrastructural development in the State. This will entail developing a robust Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and other collaborative governance frameworks to attract non-state resources to fund developments in the state.
Quality Education for Empowerment is another key role the new governor must prioritise. A focus on education is paramount for empowering Kogi’s youth and building a skilled workforce and increase the economic value of the state. Currently, the state of state education ranking of the State is not impressive, the governor must prioritise the review existing education policies and implement necessary programmes that can enhance access to quality education and vocational training in the State. Education focus must evolve from teaching for good grades alone to also teaching for empwerment and industry relavance; this will contribute to socioeconomic advancement because access to quality workforce is a pull factor that drives in investments.
This advisory note will not be complete without highlighting the important role of Healthcare Revitalisation, particularly the primary healthcare system.
The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of a robust healthcare system. Although Kogi State did not witness any surge in reported cases, the governor must prioritise healthcare infrastructure and services in his administration. Investing in medical facilities, training healthcare professionals, and ensuring access to quality healthcare will contribute to a healthier and more productive populace in the State.
Clearly, the governor-elect stands at a pivotal juncture, holding the key to unlocking Kogi State’s true potential or simply keep it locked in. By embracing strategic economic diversification, infrastructural development, education empowerment, and healthcare revitalisation, the governor can spearhead a new era of prosperity for the State, making it a shining example of socioeconomic development in Nigeria because Kogi’s Future Hinges on Swift Socioeconomic Development. The governor-elect must, therefore, see his emergence as not just a political victory, but also as a call to shape the destiny of Kogi State for the better. The time for transformative leadership is now, and the citizens eagerly await the dawn of a new and better era he promised during his campaigns.
Oluwatosin Oke, writes as a concerned citizen of Kogi State.
