Over three years since the
administration of Gov. Idris Wada came on board, a lot has changed in the culture
of governance in Kogi State. This new order which has brought much dynamism to
government business is responsible for the developmental strides and stability
being enjoyed in the state. That is the focus of this interview with the Hon.
Commissioner for Information, Hajiya Zainab Suleiman Okino. Excerpts
1. It is about a year since you assumed duty as the
chief spokesperson for the State. How has the journey been so far?
Answer:
Well, as you know I have been in information
management at some levels before now. But I must say this is a whole new
experience for me. Having spent nearly
three decades in the private sector, one would naturally have some learning to
do in the public sector but I am coping well; I have definitely learnt faster
because we had to hit the ground running since I formerly took over the
Ministry Of Information in Kogi State in July, 2014.
So far, it has been relatively, a rewarding experience
getting the opportunity to serve my home state and in the process supporting
His Excellency Capt. Idris Wada in developing Kogi State and impacting the lives
of our people positively.
For me it is also exciting serving as the bridge
between the administration and the people of Kogi State and a lot has changed
in the management of government information and communication machinery in Kogi
State between July 2014 and now.
2. What are the
changes you have introduced considering the fact that it is the first time a
professional will be manning the ministry?
Answer:
I think there have been some other communications
professionals at the helm of affairs in the Ministry of Information. Having
said that, one of the things I did immediately I was appointed the Commissioner
for Information in July last year was to set a distinction between being a
government's spokesperson and being an extension of the information machinery
of a political party. That said, we clearly established and stayed focused on
our cardinal responsibilities as the official channel of communicating
government's policies and programmes while also providing a platform for the
government to feel the pulse of the citizenry. In doing this, I came up with a
comprehensive Blueprint to take communication of government policies and
programmes from information to conversation with all our stakeholders, be they
other organs of government, the media, and most importantly our fellow citizens
to whom the government must remain accountable at all times.
As the official channel of communicating government's
policies and programmes, we have evolved a multi-channel strategy that explores
traditional media and new media platforms to engender conversation about the
activities of the government. These platforms, especially the new media which
include our facebook page (www.facebook.com/followkogistate) and our twitter
handle (www.twitter.com/kogitweets)
blogs and other online media channels, are very critical in modern day
governance. They are particularly important because of the instantaneous
possibilities, wider reach and the feedback from the community of stakeholders
which creates excellent conversation that deepens democratic
participation.
Of course, our traditional media platforms are not
left out of the innovative approach to managing government information
machinery. In the last six months, the Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation with
its four radio stations in Lokoja, Egbe, Ochaja and Otite have been
resuscitated and are now fully operational. We have also employed professionals
to fill all vacant positions which created serious human resources challenge
for the broadcast organisation for over a decade.
The Graphic, the state owned newspaper,
is also undergoing some form of repositioning with training programmes,
especially for our editorial staff and investment in infrastructure aimed at
creating a truly modern newspaper that can compete nationally. the state of
House of assembly has just passed a bill to turn the newspaper into a
corporation, meaning more independence and a drive towards self-sustenance.
Hopefully, by the end of this year, our aspiration to
float the state's television would be realised. For the first time since the
State was created, the Government Printing Department is now buzzing with
activities and it is currently attracting commercial printing which is also a
source of revenue for the government. Our aspiration is to make all agencies
under the Ministry of Information less dependent on government subventions.
The wider media community remains critical in the
implementation of our overall strategy in communicating government policies and
programmes and also in generating feedback from the citizenry on their
expectations and appraisal of the government. We are constantly exploring ways
to deepen our partnership with the media on every scale.
Generally, we are evolving a more conversational
approach to policy communication and information management. We have become
more proactive in presenting and projecting the achievements of government
while also paying more attention to feedback from our people and responding
accordingly to their demands and expectations.
Before now, most of our workers in the Ministry of
Information lacked the skills required of an information manager in today's
information age and many of them who
have the skills do not seem to have the enabling environment to function
effectively. However, that is fast changing because with the support of other
professionals in the ministry, we are beginning to skill up the workforce in
the ministry with training and re-training of all our Public Relations Officers
across Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Our collaboration with other MDAs
is a government-wide initiative to project the activities of government through
regular updates on activities of the government as executed by the MDAs. Our
PROs have all been empowered to contribute to our efforts in communicating the activities
of government.
So far, we can look back and give ourselves a pat on
the back for a job well done. I must add that all that we have achieved is
largely due to the support I enjoy from His Excellency, Capt. Idris Wada, and
the cooperation of my colleagues and staff in the Ministry of Information, fellow commissioners, Special Advisers and
other colleagues in the administration.
3. Can you tell us what the government has been doing
before you came in, and what it is doing today?
Answer:
Since he assumed office in January 2012, His
Excellency, Capt. Idris Wada set out to building a new Kogi State by laying the
foundation in terms of massive infrastructure, roads, housing, education,
agriculture, rural development, tourism development and youth and women empowerment
among other achievements.
From my vantage position as the chief spokesperson of
the government, our footprints in agriculture which make us the best ranked
state in agricultural development in the North Central and one of the best in
Nigeria are visible from massive investment made by the administration in
creating Staple Foods Processing Zones in different parts of the state,
investment in equipment to open up hundreds of farmlands and also create access
to markets in several farming communities across the 21 Local Government Areas
in the state. Our agricultural loans to farmers as well as fertiliser
distribution and supply of seedlings and equipment to genuine farmers in the state
have received commendations from the Federal Government and other local and
international donors and stakeholders.
Apart from Agriculture, we have made giant leaps in
the provision of critical infrastructure as a government. In the last three years, over 50 roads have
been constructed across the state. Work on the construction of the 4-lane
carriage way through Lokoja metropolis has commenced. Other on-going road
projects in the state include the 20.7 Kilometre Welcome to Lokoja-Army
Barracks-International Market Road, Lokoja Township Road, Ganaja-Otokiti Road.
And outside Lokoja, we are working on the
Odenyi-Oguma-Sharia Road, Dekina Township Roads, Idah Township Roads,
Ponyan-Irele Roads, Lions Club-Geregu Roads, Egbe Township Road and
Ajagwumu-Oduofomu/Odu-Ogboyaga Road as well as the rehabilitation of
Ogaminana-Obangede-Okaito-Kabba Junction Roads.
In terms of housing, there is the new 500-unit Housing
Estate in Lokoja which is under the Kogi Bond Project now at an advanced stage
of completion. The Government is
currently building the Teaching Hospital at the Kogi State University, Anyigba.
A world class diagnostic centre is under construction at the Specialist
Hospital in Lokoja. The School of Nursing and Midwifery in Obangede has also
been given a facelift with the construction of Administrative Block and ICT
Centre.
The government has constructed two hostel blocks each
at the Kogi State University, Anyigba and the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja.
In furtherance of the commitment of the administration
to improve the quality of education, five iconic Secondary Schools were
selected across the state for massive renovation. The Government has also
sustained its partnership with both the British Council and the National
Mathematical Centre to train teachers and also improve learning among students
across secondary schools in the 21 Local Government Areas in the State. The
Government recently addressed the challenges that led to delay in the payment of
WAEC fees of Secondary School students in the state.
4. How is the State coping with biting economic
situation in the State?
Answer:
It is hard but we are coping well. As a government
that thrives on a clearly defined vision, the administration of Capt. Idris
Wada is mindful of the consequences of over dependence on revenue allocation
from the federation account.
This is why since the administration came into power,
the government has been committed to developing sectors such as agriculture,
solid minerals, tourism and other areas where we have considerable comparative
advantage. As you are aware, our giant
strides in agriculture can be seen from the establishment of Staple Crop
Processing Zones focusing more on cassava and rice production. It is one of the
many ways we are strategising to cope with dwindling revenues. It is no surprise that we are one of the success stories in agricultural production
in Northern Nigeria and. We have also
established agricultural processing centres with specific focus staple foods
like rice and cassava as well as livestock in collaboration with some
investors. This is also going to be a source of revenue for the state and
investors have undertaken to provide jobs and support infrastructural
development as part of their Corporate Social Responsibilities to the host
communities.
Our investment in cashew nut processing is equally
yielding results. We are making progress
in the development of tourism and allied sectors like transportation where we
have started earning revenues from our Mass Transit Bus System currently
operating in Lokoja metropolis. In the
last three years, the tax system in the state has undergone reforms. The government has ensured
zero-tolerance for corruption, wastages and drastic reduction in revenue
leakages. Within the last two years, our Internally Generated Revenue has increased
by over 200 percent and the state is steadily building an IGR base that will
eventually wean the state off dependence on federal allocation.
I must also mention here that as a government, we have
been deliberately creative in the allocation of funds to the extent that more
priority is now being accorded to projects with higher tendency to impact the
lives of our people. This explains why 54.49% which amounts to over N60 Billion
of our 2015 budget is devoted to Capital Expenditure as against 45% which is a
little over N50 Billion which is budgeted
for Recurrent Expenditure.
5. In case oil money does not come regularly, what
plans has the government put in place to survive it?
Answer:
We are not going to leave anything to chance as a
government. As it is right now, everyone
is already feeling the impact of dwindling revenue from oil and gas. And despite
recent improvement in the price crude oil, it is not likely that things would
be back to normal in terms of revenue accruing to states before the middle of
2016.
So, we are already set for austerity measures as a proactive
administration. Revenue leakages are being blocked, wastages have been cut to
their all time low in the state and several ways of shoring up our IGR are
being explored.
For example, there is a draft bill for the establishment
of a Signage and Advertising Agency in Kogi State like what we have in Lagos,
Kano, Cross River and a number of other states. This is to maximise revenues
from outdoor advertising, mobile advertising, signages and other forms of
Below-The-Line commercial messages or advertising.
The Ministry of Water Resources is in the process of
starting a metering system to make the water supply system in the state
commercially-driven.
Like I said earlier, our tax system has been
overhauled and we are becoming more attentive to taxable entities and
activities in the state. This is very important and for any state that wants to
be less dependent on federal allocation, it is the way to go because modern
societies develop better and faster when the people take their responsibilities
seriously and are in turn able to hold their government accountable.
Having said that, we would not, as a government, under
the guise of austerity, jettison our constitutional responsibilities to our
people. Certain things such as security
of lives and property, development of critical infrastructure and every other
thing expected of the government to keep our people safe and happy would not be
left unattended in the name of austerity.
6. Finally, what is the State doing about youth and women
empowerment?
Answer:
One of the key areas of focus by the government of
Capt. Idris Wada is the empowerment of youth and women. The youth empowerment
programme of this administration is anchored on a number of platforms. One is
the desire of His Excellency, Capt. Idris Wada to deepen the culture of unity,
understanding and self-reliance among the teeming population of young people in
the state. The other is the need to build in our young people requisite skills
that are required to make them more productive and better and active
participants in the socio-economic activities in the state. By doing this, the government is also keeping
our youths engaged and active so they are dissuaded from negative dispositions
such as thuggery, restiveness and other criminal acts.
The government's youth development initiative is
coordinated by YAD4KOGI, which is responsible for setting up guidelines for and
conducting selection of youths from
across the 21 Local Government Areas for a close camping where they are given
intensive orientation and training for about a month before they are released
to take up roles in public works and earn allowances from the government. Upon their internship period, members of the
YAD4KOGI get financial assistance from the government to start any trade of
their choice.
So far, this youth empowerment scheme has trained and
engaged over 10,000 young people in the state. The government also provides
grants to indigent graduates who desire to set up businesses as well as
scholarships to indigent students in all tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Our Women Empowerment initiatives have been very
robust. The Ministry of Women Affairs and Office of Her Excellency, the First
Lady, Hajiya Halima Ladi Wada are doing remarkable jobs in lifting our women
out of poverty and deprivation.
Thousands of women have benefited from grants, soft
loans and skills acquisition through Her Excellency's Kogi Women Empowerment
Network (KOWEN).
The office of the First Lady also runs the Food
Outreach Programme through which thousands of women across the state have
received food items as Her Excellency continues to intensify efforts to
alleviate hunger in deprived homes across the state.
The government has also been committed to providing
health care facilities catering particularly for women and children in line
with the Millennium Development Goals to reduce maternal mortality.
Government is also providing special support for the
girl child education in our educational institutions across the state with a
view to ensuring gender equality through
access to information as enjoyed by their male counterparts.
Recently, as part of activities to mark the
International Women's Day in the state
over 100 women drawn from all the 21 Local Government Areas received
household items and trade support items at a public presentation by the office
of the First Lady in conjunction with the Ministry of Women Affairs.
The State
Government in partnership with the Korean International Corporation Agency
(KOICA) established a world class centre for vocational training in Lokoja. So
far, hundreds of our youths have been there to acquire basic skills in automobile
repairs, mobile phone repairs, machines maintenance and other vocational and
engineering skills.
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