Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has urged traditional rulers to supports security measures being put in place towards addressing insecurity in the state.
The governor who spoke through his Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs, Engineer Abubakar Ohere at the Quarterly Meeting of Traditional Council said that the state government is cooperating with security agencies in tackling menace of kidnappers, armed robbers and terrorists in the state.
The governor said that his administration has procured and provided surveillance equipment and security vehicles to proactively tackle insecurity in the Confluence State. He added that in one year of the administration several roads have been constructed or rehabilitated in addition to electrification of rural areas and installation of street light across major roads in Lokoja, the state capital.
Bello urged the traditional rulers to brainstorm on issues bothering on traditional institution, security and social developments that could enhanced mutual understanding, tolerance and economic advancement of the state.
He disclosed that Governor Bello is using a magic wand of experience and administrative competence to improve Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State which his predecessors thought to be unrealisable, adding that more dividends of democracy are coming on the way of the tradition fathers across the State soon as the Government plans to embark on renovation and rehabilitation of their palaces.
Earlier in his speech, the President of the traditional council and the Attah of Igala, Dr. Michael Ameh Oboni II, commended the governor on his infrastructural developments across the state and commended his commitment towards welfare of the custodians of traditional institutions.
The traditional ruler also promised to cooperate with security agencies towards increasing security consciousness in their areas.
He stressed that “most importantly, the consultation and inclusion of traditional rulers in key decision and policy making by the current administration, first in the history of the State.
Lending his voice on security challenges, the Vice President of the traditional council, Dr. Ado Ibrahim, the Ohinoyi of Ebira land tasked the royal fathers to complement the efforts of the state government in every possible way in combating the security challenges in the land as it is much a herculean task to be left on the shoulders of the government alone.