Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has denied the rumours about the relocation of a Bio-Ethanol plant from Alape area in Kogi west to the central, stating that the news is totally false.
He stated that instead of the circulated falsehood of the relocation, the Okun people would house four of such plants in different parts of the senatorial area.
Governor Yahaya Bello made this known today at the state government house in Lokoja while receiving a delegation of traditional rulers and other stakeholders from the seven Local Government Areas of Kogi West Senatorial District.
They all in their goodwill messages endorsed the governor’s second term re-election into office, while they declared their support to work towards the achievement of the November 2nd goal.
He stated that his government seeks to change the narrative of the state from a civil servant dominated state to an economically viable State, where the State could feed itself and generate wealth.
Governor Bello opined that such narration should be done through vast investment in the Agricultural sector, which the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhamadu Buhari has revolutionized.
Governor Bello in his address pointed out that the Government with its focus on human capital development majorly through the agricultural sector was proposing 500,000 hectares of cassava plantation which would be divided into ten colonies of 50,000 hectares that would be spread across the three senatorial districts of the State.
He noted that each of the colony would have bio-ethanol plant, starch manufacturing plant, garri processing plant, Cassava pellet plant and cassava leave plant which he stated would exist in not less than fifteen Local Government Areas of the State.
Governor Bello revealed that these plants would base on conservative estimates generate $80 million annually per colony and engage about 200,000 unemployed youths across the State.
He said the State government was making the move to effectively utilize their ancestral lands to create wealth for the state, the children and generations to come.
The State Governor mentioned that his government is practical, determined and remains focused and would not be distracted by noise peddled on social media.
Governor Bello said that as the people have urged him to further soldier the affairs of the state through their endorsement of his re-election bid, he would not disappoint them.
He pledged to look into all request put forward to him, promising that he has given an express order that the water project in Kotokarfe should be completed before the salah celebration.
The State Governor also expressed that his administration would as the leader of the All Progressives Congress in the State, would make a case for the interest of women to hold key positions at the Local Government Areas when the elections are conducted.
Also speaking, the Obaro of Kabba, Oba Solomon Dele Owoniyi said the governor has done a lot in his first term and there was no need to change horse in the midstream.
While listing some of achievements of Governor Yahaya Bello in the West under four years which included the establishment of the multi-billion Naira Omi Rice Processing Mills, Isanlu Water Project, on-going expansion of Isalu general hospital and provision of Drugs to all hospitals/clinics in the area, the Monarch said Governor Bello has also done well in the civil service reform.
Recounting the menace of ghost workers in the state civil service system in the past, the Monarch said the College of Technical Education, Kabba in 2014 had more Staff on the payroll than the total number of students in the school.
He also lauded the Governor for accommodating youths and children of nobody in his government while thanking him for being a de-tribalised leader.
He said the wonder the Okun performed in the last assembly election will be repeated 10 times during governorship election to re-elect governor Yahaya Bello.
The Ohimege Igu of Koto Karfe, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Isah Koto lauded the Governor for his achievements and urged support for his re-election.