NGIJ Extols Gov Bello’s Giant Strides In Security, Education, Healthcare Delivery, Others

The Nigerian Guild of Investigative Journalists (NGIJ) on Tuesday extolled Gov. Yahaya Bello giant strides in security, education, health, infrastructural development, youth empowerment and job creation among others.

The NGIJ President, Mr Wale Abideen, gave the commendation while presenting the report of its investigation and findings of ”Governance Assessment Report (GAR)” on Kogi State Government, to media practitioners at Sheraton Luxury Hotel in Abuja.

According to him, the report was the product of a month-long survey of various priority programmes, projects and activities under Bello’s administration, as well as the impact on the people of the state.

Abideen noted that the GAR was part of efforts to promote good governance, transparency and public accountability through periodic assessment and critical analysis of government policies and programmes and their impact on the people.

He stressed that the guild consists of professional journalists with interest in investigative reporting and by extension, engaging in critical analysis of government policies and programmes and proactive good governance advocacy.

Our activities are targeted at fostering unity and development in Nigeria; hence its eagerness to identify, investigate and document reports of its findings for the purpose of educating the general public and reawakening deep sense of collaborative public participation in governance.

“The NGIJ’s tour to Kogi State was aimed at getting firsthand information about the real situation on the ground.

”Our members physically visited the three senatorial districts of the state and interacted with critical stakeholders including labour unions and top government functionaries.

”Others are traditional rulers, security agencies, market women and men, artisans, civil servants, political parties and the general residents,” Abideen said.

He added that over 10,000 questionnaires were administered across the 21 local government areas of the state in order to extend the scope of and deepen their assessments.

”However, we must emphasize that this investigative effort is by no means exhaustive.

“The parameters, pillars and sub-pillars for our investigations revolve around infrastructure, health, education, security, sports development, human capital development and other sectors.

”The ultimate goal of GAR is to strictly to assess the development strides in the state, engender the culture of public accountability and promote good governance.

“It is pertinent to note that this report was the product of objective, balanced and all-inclusive engagements in line with multiplicities of sources applicable to investigative journalism,” he said.

Abideen said the governor scored various points in various sectors, including a whopping 66.3 per cent approval rating on his policies and programmes.

He, however, noted that they could not capture the recent offsetting of several months of salary arrears of state workers by Kogi Government, saying it was not covered in the investigation.

The body said it understood that at the time of compiling the report, the government owed genuine civil servants five months in arrears.