Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo has tasked members of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) to be patriotic in their reportage of events in the country, especially security issue, saying “we must all agree that you can only practise in a safe and secure environment.”
Ododo, who was represented by his deputy, Elder Joel Salifu, gave the charge on Thursday in Lokoja at the 8th Annual Conference of GOCOP with the theme: “Nigeria: Tackling insecurity, power deficit, and transitioning to digital economy.”
The governor noted the effort of President Bola Tinubu to bolster national security and thanked him (President Tinubu) for ensuring that the people of Kogi were safe.
According to him, “We will support President Bola Tinubu and will not lift our leg from the pedal (accelerator) until the battle against banditry is won.”
He said the federal government and the Kogi State government were working hand in hand to create a nation and a state of visions and opportunities.
The governor noted that President Tinubu was taking progressive steps to make Nigeria great again, even as he urged those clamouring to take the country back to redirect their campaign.
According to him, “Those who are saying Nigerians should take back their nation should know that Nigeria is already in the hands of Nigerians. I, as an individual, know that Nigeria is already in the hands of Nigeria. The question now is, what should we do with Nigeria?”
Ododo said that Kogi state was not joining protests to end bad governance in the country because “we are seeing the impact of Mr President’s administration and his economic policies.”
He stated that his administration had hit the ground running on road infrastructure development, investment in food production, stressing that “this is where we are doing our protests through mechanized farming with the view to bringing down the high costs of food in the state.”
The governor said that his administration in the State was all inclusive regardless of tribe and religion, among other fault lines, maintaining that “this government is the people’s government.”
“We are silently turning things round in the state. We have signed up for the open government partnership. We are working to ensure that the resources of Kogi state work for the people of the state,” he declared.
