Gov. Bello will run a people oriented government- Onoja

Edward Onoja David was the chief strategist in the Yahaya Bello gubernatorial campaign. He is also the Secretary to the transition committee charged with the responsibility of ensuring a smooth transition in Kogi state. In this interview with GENA LUBEM in Lokoja, he speaks of the determination of Governor YAHAYA Bello to run a people oriented government when sworn-in amongst other issues. Excerpts:

 

What exactly is the mandate of this committee?

Our core mandate includes interfacing with the outgoing government in order to have a smooth take off of administration for the incoming government. We are also to ascertain the assets liability obligations, statements contracts by the outgoing government and report appropriately to the governor-elect. Equally, we are to recommend as appropriate measures that will aid the incoming governor to ensure good governance that will impact meaningfully on the lives of majority of citizens of Kogi state. We are to also suggest ways and activities that will result into tangible and visible impact on the people of the state within 30, 60, 100 days and one year of the administration. We are to also receive handover notice from ministries from the outgoing government. Our task is supposed to last for 4 weeks.

 

Receiving handover notes from ministries, departments and agencies could be challenging. But so far, how would you describe the exercise?

It has been thorough, tasking and requires submissions and presentations by various stakeholders in different sectors. It has been very revealing and I think the committee members have been up to the task by extra miles to ensuring that we come up with the best.

 

When you say it has been revealing, what exactly are you saying?

It is in terms of information. It has been an avalanche of depth of information that has assisted the committee to bring up an excellent report to the government of His Excellency Yahaha Bello.

 

How would you rate the contribution and in fact the cooperation of other stakeholder towards the achievement of the purpose of this committee?

They have been very cooperative and all is working well. I will rate it very high. Everyone is willing to contribute; willing to share information and willing to put their knowledge, expertise and experience to the table.

 

After the inauguration of the His Excellency Yahaya Bello, what legacy would you say your committee has bequeathed to the people of Kogi state?

I believe the committee will not actually be talking about legacy. I believe pathway put forward for His Excellency to ensure that he act on that to be able to live a legacy. Like I said earlier, the recommendations we are giving are going to be very detail based on things that we believe are going to be realistic and achievable considering the economic situation in the country and the state at the moment. They will be things that will be people oriented because that is the passion that drove His Excellency to venture into this whole project. Clearly, it will be something that will be something that will aid and assist him to deliver the dividends of democracy that will impact on the people instantly.

 

 

What will be plight of people in the rural areas? Is this administration going to do something differently so far as this critical mass is concerned?

According to His Excellency Yahaya Bello, his government is going to be ‘bottom-top’. He has said this repeatedly. If the government is going to be from ‘bottom-top’ it simply means he will interact and get the feelers on a real time as it were  from the grassroots; the communities. He would not want to be the governor who will lead from the top rather he would engage the people in the rural areas to be able to ascertain what it is that their quest and desire is. Within his powers and within the powers that his resources can permit, he will go all the way to improve on their situation.

 

But we have been told that some ethnic groups within the state are not interested in supporting the governor, what efforts are in place to reconcile them?

Every day, there have been reconciliations. Every day, a lot of people are seeing reasons why they need to join hands with a young governor who is passionate about his people and have continuously proven to be someone who means what he says and means what he says. Talking about the ethnic fear, I think it is more of a perception rather than real. His Excellency is 40 years old and 70% of the voters and people within the state are in that age bracket. I can tell you that I am from Kogi East which is from the Igala part of the state, we have been in government over the years but for us within this age bracket and below, we are interested in someone who would develop our land not really minding his mother tongue.

 

Looking at it from the committee perspective, would you say His Excellency will be inheriting an empty treasury?

That is relative. Empty treasury means zero balance but to me that is not what it means. Yes. There are obligations. We know that staff have not been paid for about 3 months. We also know that there is an obligation form the local governments which resulted into the request for the bailout funds (which has not been released) as well as contractors who have worked and are demanding pay. He is an Accountant. He is an entrepreneur and more importantly, governance is a continuum. My belief is that whatever the status is when he takes over, he  will bring his wealth of knowledge, creativity and network to ensure that the whole of Kogi state people have a better life than  they are experiencing now.  

 

What will be your advice to the entire Kogi state indigenes?

My advice is that God almighty loves Kogi state and he has taken Kogi as a project that He needs to ensure works hence the emergence of our young and admirable governor-elect. All of us irrespective of our tribes, religion, age and class should see this as an act of God.  I want all of us to embrace it so that we can enjoy it. Let’s not fight it because if we fight it, we are not just fighting the beneficiaries so to say, we will be fighting the almighty who made this happen. And of course you know that nobody fights the almighty and tells a good story afterwards. The governor is up for good. Kogi is up for change. Kogi is up for a new direction, we should key into and let us have a better state for all of us and for the future of our children.