The Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has reiterated his determination to ensure that Ajaokuta Steel Company comes on streams again, saying it has remained the priority of the present administration of president Muhammadu Buhari.
Just as he pointed point out that the true ingredients of development lie in the willingness and ability of the Nigerian nation to actualize the Ajaokuta dream.
The Governor made the remarks on the occasion of a 2- Day Zonal Meeting on the Draft Medium -Term National Development plan ( MTNDP) 2921-2025 held at Idrinana Hotel Lokoja, kogi state capital.
Bello who described the theme of the Zonal meeting: Achieving Effective Participation of the Sub-Nationals in the Development, Implementation, and Monitoring of the Medium Term National Development Plan 2021–2025, as important saying it provides opportunity for stakeholders of the North Central and Middle Belt to make inputs into the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2021-2025).
The Governor who was represented at the occasion by his Deputy, Chief Edward Onoja, disclosed that when functional, the Ajaokuta Steel Industry would aid rapid industrialization that would create over 10 million direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.
Gov. Bello solicited the support of the Federal Government towards harnessing its rich mineral resources for the development of the State, described the state as the safest State in North Central Nigeria and also a Confluence of opportunities.
While noting that the priorities of people of the Geo Political Zone keeps changing, hence, the need to keep pace with these changes by updating data and using the same to plan for the overall good of the people.
He however called on the Participants at the scheduled 2-day meeting to elicit inputs of the North Central zone into the draft of a Medium-Term National Development Plan, towards improving the socio economic development of the people.
Gov. Bello maintained that nations fall in gap of desirable progress without a sound developmental plan noting that no great nation of the world has achieved greatness without a good development plan that is frequently updated to address critical emerging issues.
He opined that it is instructive to note that the entire 36 States and FCT have significant interests in the National Development Plan because critical national assets and infrastructure are located in the States for shared benefits, described the meeting as of immense benefits to the North Central Geo Political Zone.
While highlighting the importance of planning, Gov. Bello described 2016, for example as a year that saw Nigeria climbed down into double digits recession due to the collapse in the price of crude oil, with an economic depression on a 0.36 decline, but commended the proactive administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the 36 States in Nigeria, including the FCT who through planning, responded with an Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), tied to stimulating demand as well as improving the performance of the non-oil sectors, particularly Agriculture and other services.
The Governor equally added that in 2020, when the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic collapsed key budget estimates such as the forcasted price of crude oil and exchange rate, said activating a downward revision of the Budget in order to reallocate resources based on the NEEDs of the time variables, again helped the economy of the country to exit recession for the second time in four years, ensuring that the nation bounced back from the collision course of economic Suicide.
Gov. Bello said critical roads and Power in the State is still largely a Federal Government affair, added that health and educational facilities, Defense and related security agencies, external affairs, amongst others, are sectors that have a direct bearing on the well being of the people thus making it imperative for the State to tap into the all-important meeting.
While noting that Kogi is bordered by 10 States including the FCT making national assets located in the State have multiplier effects on the greater part of the country, appealled for a seaport and an airport in the State for the nation to take full advantage of the strategic location of the State to stimulate economic activities in the country.
Gov. Bello thanked the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, for ensuring that the preparation of Plan is inclusive of the various stakeholders, disclosed that a plan that works is one prepared and owned by the people for whom the plan is designed to serve.
In a key note address by the Commissioner of OF Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mukadam Asiwaju Asiru Idris
said the Technical meeting is aimed at harvesting contributions of the North Central Zone into the National Development Plan.
The Commissioner added that the meeting is a unique opportunity to interrogate the draft plan for the purpose of modifying, adding, removing any areas of the draft plan as well as to introduce new ideas or strategies for the purposes of improving the quality of the plan.
He disclosed that the State has also commenced the process of preparing a 10-Year Development Plan, added that the institutional frameworks have been established, with the Steering and Technical Committees to drive the preparation of the Plan already in place.
While thanking Gov. Yahaya Bello for his examplary leadership, a leadership that has led to the growing calls by Nigerians, for him to serve the people at the national level, saying his understanding of the diversity of the state has emboldened him to make a difference at the presidency.
In a goodwill message, Umar Abu, Federal Reform Manager, Foreign Common wealth and Development Office Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn, described the Zonal meeting as deepening of good governance in Nigeria through a broad-based social consensus about values and actions towards a defined and shared future.
He said the much-anticipated MTNDP and the Nigeria Vision 2050 are sets of agreed values, actions and pathways for achieving this common future, praised the process of building national consensus as important as the content of the plans.
Similarly, in his goodwill, the Kogi State Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones described the meeting as timely, urged Participants to seek ways of using the forum to reduce the high rate of out of school Children in the Geo Political Zone.
Also Speaking, Hajia Hassiat Suleiman, Chairman, Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee, said the meeting couldn’t have come at a better time than now, urged the North Central Zone to in view of the leadership qualities of Gov. Yahaya Bello, support him to become the nation’s President in 2023.