By Joy Salami
Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Fanwo has explained the rationale behind the appointment of 717 Ward Special Assistants by the Governor of the State, Alh. Usman Ododo.
The Commissioner while briefing newsmen on Thursday said the appointments were made at “deepening democracy and ensuring participatory governance among the grassroots population”, assuring the people of the determination of the Governor to give power to the people.
“The Governor is determined to ensure grassroots participation in governance. He doesn’t want to be detached from the hopes and aspirations of the grassroots. We have learnt from past experiences and we should be able to put those lessons to use.
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“In the past, many of the Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants that were appointed live in the state capital and did not relate with the grassroots people. There was a gap between the pulse at the grassroots and the impression of the Government. But with this novel appointment strategy, the people at the grassroots are already jubilating over the commendable inclusive governance.
“Those appointed are those who sleep and wake up in those Wards. They don’t live outside of their Wards and they will be the foot soldiers of the Government in achieving the Consolidation Agenda of the Ododo Administration”.
Hon. Fanwo also explained that the high number doesn’t translate to high cost of governance, saying the salaries of three Ward Special Assistants amount to what one Senior Special Assistant would have earned.
“What the Governor did was to share one SSA salary to three WSA, meaning that the cost of governance is not increased as a result of the high number of WSA.
“Now we have at least three State Government Officials in each of the 239 Wards with significantly reduced salaries and allowances. This is smart governance. The Governor has been silently reducing the cost of governance as a shrewd manager of resources”.
He urged the people of Kogi State to take the opportunity presented by the appointment of WSAs to ensure adequate feedback and supervision of government projects, programs and policies.
“The Ododo Administration is building on the inherited legacies of the past administration as it relates to grassroots empowerment. Many projects are currently ongoing in many rural communities and more will benefit from the second phase. What our Government is preaching is that if we want to prosper in agriculture, we must make our people enjoy staying in the rural areas where there is more access to the basic social amenities”.
