The Kogi State Forum of Senior Special Assistants has announced plans to use its 2026 summit and the relaunch of Governor Ododo Business Outreach to strengthen grassroots engagement and communicate achievements of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo across the state.
The forum disclosed this in Lokoja at a press briefing ahead of the Senior Special Assistants Summit scheduled for September 21 to 23, with the official relaunch of Governor Ododo Businwss Outreach phase 3 billed for the final day of the summit.
Speaking at the briefing, the Chairman of the Forum, Hon. Joseph Omeiza, said the summit would focus on the strategic role of Senior Special Assistants in strengthening governance and advancing sustainable development in the state.
Omeiza said the theme of the summit, “Strengthening Governance and Sustainable Development: The Strategic Role of Senior Special Assistants in Delivering the Kogi State Development Agenda,” reflects the need for government policies and programmes to translate into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
According to him, the summit will provide an opportunity for Senior Special Assistants to realign their responsibilities with the development priorities of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, strengthen their capacity for grassroots engagement, share experiences and improve coordination among members.
He said the relaunch of Governor Ododo Business Outreach would further provide an avenue to promote economic inclusion, entrepreneurship, empowerment and access to opportunities for youths, women, small businesses and other grassroots entrepreneurs.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Christian Matters, Elder Gabriel Itodo, said the summit would help newly appointed SSAs understand the development activities of the administration and equip them to take the government’s message to their respective communities.
Itodo said the impact of the summit would be particularly felt at the grassroots because many SSAs operate directly within communities and are positioned to communicate government programmes and gather feedback from residents.
He described the summit as an opportunity to promote a bottom-up approach to governance, noting that government development efforts should ultimately be reflected in the lives of ordinary citizens.
“Gone are those days where SSAs are appointed and they take salaries and go to sleep,” Itodo said, stressing that members of the forum must demonstrate responsibility by taking the administration’s development message to the grassroots.
He, however, appealed to the governor and other stakeholders to provide greater support for SSAs, particularly those working at the grassroots, to enable them effectively carry out their responsibilities.
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Livelihood, Hajia Maryam Yahaya, said she was particularly interested in the inpact of the Business Outreach because of its potential impact on women, students, artisans and other vulnerable groups.
Yahaya said the programme would extend its reach across the 21 local government areas and the three senatorial districts, adding that women and artisans who had benefited from previous phases were already anticipating another round of the intervention.
She said the Business Outreach had created expectations among residents who benefited from earlier phases, particularly market women, and expressed optimism that the third phase would again provide support to less privileged residents and entrepreneurs at the grassroots.
Yahaya, who identified herself as the president of artisans in Kogi State, urged members of the forum to remain active and supportive of the programme to ensure that its benefits reach the intended beneficiaries.
The chairman of the forum further called on members to participate actively in the summit and communicate government policies, programmes and achievements accurately and responsibly within their communities.
He reaffirmed the forum’s commitment to supporting the Ododo administration through grassroots engagement, responsible representation, professionalism and effective service to the people.
The summit is expected to bring together Senior Special Assistants and relevant stakeholders for discussions on governance, capacity building, grassroots engagement and sustainable development, before culminating in the third installment of Governor Ododo Business Outreach across the 21 local government areas of the state.
