NAN-H-36
Development
By Angela Atabo
Abuja, June 20, 2017 (NAN) Dr Ugbede Paul, Founder, Nigerian Youth Advocacy for Peace and Development (NYAPD) on Tuesday urged Kogi indigenes to synergise with the present administration in the state to enhance sustainable development.
Paul told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that, for meaningful development to take place in the state, all hands must be on deck regardless of strata and other inclinations.
He said that attack by various groups and tribes on the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, would only lead to disunity that would distracting the move for effective development of the state.
He advised various ethnic groups and youths in the state to look beyond tribal differences and have faith in the governor’s ability to develop the state.
According to Paul, the youths can make all the difference by bringing meaningful suggestions and input to move the state forward.
“It is high time we indigenes of Kogi looked beyond our tribal differences and unit to move the state forward because it is our state and only we can make things work.
“For the state to be great, we need to act as one regardless of the tribe and synergise our efforts toward achieving a common goal which is developing the state.
“We know how committed Bello is for the betterment of the state and especially for the youths who are the leaders of today and tomorrow.
“What has been lacking in this state is good leadership, but with Bello, a young governor on board, let us break out of the norm and also bring our contributions so we can make a difference for the betterment of this state.
“We need to break out of sentiments borne out of the fact that the governor is not my tribe so I won’t support or that he has not done anything in my town so I won’t support him.
“We need to look beyond our selfish interest and work towards the collective development of the state regardless of where we come from because that is only when we can progress,’’ he said.
Paul called on Kogi youths to continue with the good works and to support the administration and its pursuit to see that things worked well for the people.
He commended the governor’s effort at ensuring that youths in the state were empowered.
He, however, appealed to the governor to ensure that students and pupils that have been at home due to strike by their teachers returned to school. (NAN)
ATAB/OPI/OPI
Edited by Olisa Ifeajika