Education, Our Top Priority- Governor Yahaya Bello

Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has reiterated his determination to prioritize educational development in the state.

The Governor said this through a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kingsley Fanwo, in Lokoja. He said education is capable of generating the steam for the economic revival of the state.

According to the Governor, the state of education inherited by his administration is "unacceptable and a betrayal of the standards expected of Kogi State",  assuring of his administration's readiness at "reining in critical reforms to place the state where it should be on the educational map."

He said: "The present administration is poised to ensure rapid socio-economic development of the state. However, we are not oblivious to the fact that education is the lubricator of every sector of the economy.

"As we look into the need to employ our youth, we also need to ensure they are employable through the right education, especially technical education. The New Direction Technical Team is working on some leads to ensure our children are no more educationally disadvantaged. It is the responsibility of government to provide quality education to the people.

"With the number of foreign investments we are expecting in the state, there is an immediate need to strategically position our people to provide labor and technical capacity to maximize the impending influx of foreign investors to the state."

Governor Bello decried the lack of ICT knowledge in primary and secondary schools in the state, assuring that his administration will address the issue appropriately.
"Our students must be exposed to Information and Communications Technology in order to compete favorably with their counterparts across the country. We cannot afford to lag behind when the global community is moving forward.

"We are constructing a roadmap for educational development and the people will soon begin to reap the fruits of these efforts. Education is the foundation of development".
On security issues in the state, especially the incessant kidnapping, Governor Yahaya Bello said efforts are on to ensure citizens of the state are well secured. He said the government is collaborating with relevant security agencies to improve security delivery in the state.

"We cannot be elaborate on efforts behind the curtains to raise the security bar, but very soon, we shall shock the criminal elements who are taking advantage of our strategic location to foment troubles. As a responsible government, we owe Kogi people a security that is unbeatable."

He urged the people of the state to collaborate with security agencies through intelligence sharing, assuring the people of the state that government is on top of the situation.