Outgoing chairperson of the Kogi NGOs Network (KONGONET), Ambassador Idris Muraina, has called on the government, civil society organisations, the citizens and development partners to embrace greater inclusivity to move Kogi State forward.
Muraina made the call yesterday in Lokoja during the 2025 KONGONET annual general meeting with the theme “Synergy for socioeconomic development: Uniting state and non-state actors for a greater impact in Kogi State.”
According to him, to deepen citizen participation and ensuring that governance remains transparent, responsive, and truly reflective of the people’s needs, all the critical stakeholders must work together in the interest of the state.
“Together, we can build a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous Kogi State for generations to come,” he stated.
In his goodwill message, the chairman Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) Mamman
Nda-Eri described the occasion as timely and deeply relevant at a time when the people are yearning for transformation in governance, infrastructure, education, and social welfare.
He pointed out that, time has come for government institutions, civil society, development partners, and community-based organisations to come together with a unified sense of purpose to advance the development of the state.
“At KOSIEC, we recognise the importance of inclusive governance, where citizens are not just voters but stakeholders in the democratic process. It is only through synergy of ideas, strategies, and actions that we can entrench credible electoral processes which serve as the bedrock of true development at the grassroots level.
“We believe in the power of civic engagement, and we look forward to working with networks like KONGONET to deepen voter education, improve participation, and strengthen transparency in our electoral processes,” the KOSIEC chairman stated.
In his paper titled “Co-creating the future : Government and non-state actors as catalyst for socio-economic transformation” presented by the special adviser to Kogi State Governor on Media, Mr Ismail Isah, he said the administration of Governor Usman Ododo remains committed to open governance, evidence-based planning, and citizen-led development.
He therefore appealed to KONGONET and other critical stakeholders to collaborate with the state government to build mutual trust and continue contributing to the development of Kogi State.
