The newly sworn-in Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has boasted that the state, under his leadership, will soon be on the world tourism map.
During his inaugural speech on Saturday in Lokoja, the state capital, Ododo expressed his determination to transform Kogi State into an appealing investment destination for both local and international investors.
The Governor emphasized that his administration will adopt an aggressive, deliberate, and strategic approach to create an attractive business environment.
Ododo, who won the March 18 governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), believes that Kogi State possesses all the necessary resources to fulfil Nigeria’s vision of becoming the industrial hub of the global south. 
The state, he said, is blessed with abundant mineral resources and natural wonders, including the convergence of two major African rivers, the Niger and Benue.
According to him, these vast water bodies can be utilized for transportation, agriculture, and tourism purposes.
Additionally, Ododo boasts that Kogi State’s numerous rivers and dams provide the potential to sustain year-round food production, enabling farming activities in all seasons.
“We must produce what we eat, eat what we produce and produce what others eat. Aside from the very valuable mineral resources our state is blessed with, we have no excuse not to be the food basket of Africa with the robust agricultural platforms already put in place by my leader and predecessor, His Excellency Alh. Yahaya Bello.
“I, therefore, call on the global investment community to see Kogi as the destination of choice. Our environment is safe for investment and our policies are friendly. We will protect the investors and the interests of our people. Kogi is the place to be.
“Our economy shall witness remarkable improvements on the back of the solid foundation laid by the administration of my predecessor as we further open up our state to investors willing to collaborate with us under a robust public-private partnership framework,” Ododo said.
He added: “For the past few years, we have been working on how to launch our confluence and our state on the world tourism map. In the next couple of months, we are hopeful that the world will make Kogi their tourism destination of choice.
“As your governor, I will be at the forefront of our investment drive and we shall put in place a Diaspora Investment Platform to make every Kogite around the world our investment ambassador. It is economically imperative to build an economy that is driven by the private sector.”
The governor asserted that, with his guidance, Kogi State would become a prominent centre for pilot projects related to the Federal Government’s initiatives in food security, poverty eradication, job creation, access to capital, inclusion, the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and overall economic growth. These projects will be tailored to suit the specific circumstances of Kogi State.
He vowed to continue the remarkable accomplishments of his predecessors, emphasizing that his administration now has a strong foundation to build upon, thanks to his unprecedented and transformative achievements across various sectors of the economy.
Thanks To Tinubu, Kogi Election Did Not Enter Into War
During the swearing-in event yesterday, Ododo expressed his gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his intervention in ensuring that the governorship election in Kogi State did not turn into a battle between different political interests in the state.
He also praised the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies, and other important stakeholders in the electoral process for their efforts in ensuring a peaceful, fair, and transparent election in Kogi State.
Ododo emphasized the importance of preserving the freedom of all citizens, regardless of their tribal or religious background, to pursue their aspirations without fear of discrimination. He stated that Kogi State must not return to a divided state plagued by ethnic tensions, but instead remain faithful to the values and dreams of its founding fathers.
The new governor of Kogi State assured that his administration would fulfil its promise of creating a united, secure, progressive, and prosperous state.
He said: “This is the time for us to commence the process towards achieving a charter of equity on power rotation in the state because it is now apparent that no single senatorial district in our state can go it alone without the cooperation and support of others who are co-equals in the political configuration of the state.
“Our government shall hit the ground running with people-oriented programmes and projects delivered with the utmost focus on the wellbeing of our people and we shall govern with transparency, probity and accountability at all times.
“As we grapple with challenges of the past, we must reckon that it is indeed a new beginning, and we must therefore work together to stem the tide of greed and irresponsibility in whatever guise, shape or form. We must be prepared to make hard choices in our collective efforts to birth a new day in our state.
“In this new era, more homes shall be built, more jobs will be created, businesses will blossom, and our farmlands will thrive. There are real challenges in the nation’s economy, particularly as regards foreign exchange, unemployment and inflationary trends.
“We must dig deep and roll up our sleeves to confront these challenges in the real sector as a sub-national government ready to make a difference. This will require us to look at the low-hanging fruit, such as completing all the critical infrastructural projects of the immediate past administration that are dear to the well-being of our people and tapping into existing opportunities for partnership with the Federal Government.
“These will focus more on our areas of comparative advantage, such as solid minerals and steel development, agriculture, marine and blue economy, tourism and creative economy, as well as information technology and digital economy, where our youth population with tremendous energy can be hugely mobilised to become key players in the value chain.”
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