Democracy at 21: Gov Bagudu vows to pursue all-inclusive growth

Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, has vowed to continue to pursue an all-inclusive growth of the state . He spoke, Friday, in Birnin Kebbi,at the celebration of the 2020 Democracy Day According to the Governor," this has led to the healthy expansion of the state and had provided equal economic opportunities for all and sundry, across the state.

" We have deliberately mobilized the various sectors including agriculture, fisheries, agroprocessing and mining " There has also been massive employments generation, provided sustainable income and significant increase in outputs." Bagudu also said that, the processing capacity of the state had been bolstered which saw the emergence of various large and small scale rice mills, among others. He also disclosed that, several of those mills were now at various stages of completion across the state.

The elated Kebbi Governor further commended President Muhammadu Buhari for including the state in the pioneer states to benefit from the Presidential Gold mining initiative. Subsequently, several youths had been registered as artisinal miners, hence, guarantee the future growth of the state,as well as ensure sustainable incomes for the youths.

Bagudu also noted that, the state was pursuing several robust partnerships like that of the one million dollars partnership with USAID, which affects a number of crops like rice and ground nut. Another partnership, the governor explained, was that with one of the world's leading fish research and development agency .

Bagudu also stated that, the state was recently ranked second only after Kaduna State in the poverty survey of the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, adding, " our aspiration is to emerge as number one in the region."

On education, the governor stated that, the state government recently signed various contracts worth over N3 billion for the rehabilitation and provision of additional facilities in primary and junior secondary Schools across the state. He urged the media and NGOs to obtain the lists of the contracts, with a view to routinely monitor them, to ensure that, they are executed according to specifications .

On health, Bagudu disclosed that, no fewer than one hundred and fourty PHCs were rehabilitated across the state, with a view to improving helathcare delivery in the state.

The Governor also stated that the Dabai-Koko road in Kebbi South is going to recieve the state Government attention. He said the road construction had already been captured in 2020 Budget ,adding that even though it is a federal road, Kebbi State Government is working in close contact with Ministry of Works to see that work on the road has been awarded. "" The road project has been captured in the federal budget and the state government is with working with federal law makers to ensure award of contract after which the state will intervene even with resources to ensure early commencement and completion ,"'

On the COVID-19 pandemic,Bagudu lauded President Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidential Task Force, health workers in the state and the general public for the exceptional support and cooperation to the fight against the pandemic. He said," that was the effect of the pandemic has been minimal in the state, as less than fifty people tested positive, on spite of the hundreds whose samples were taken. He appealed to the people of the state, health workers and other stakeholders not to be complacent in the joint efforts to rout out the disease.

While felicitating with the people of the state on the epoch-making event, the governor said that, various projects were at various stages of completion, while several others were being conceived.