Many years ago Kwara state is known for underdeveloped settlement, this made the glitering light at the end of the tunnel a seem dim and gloomy loom at the end. March 9, 2019, Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq emerged as governor of Kwara State at the 2019 governorship election and sworn in on May 29, 2019, his emergence is considered as the raising of new candent moon in Kwara state because the otoge administration has recorded many tremendous achievement, in the space of two years, a lot has happened to chart a uniquely new course for the frontline state despite the harsh economic realities. From health sector, basic education, human capital development, safety net for the poor, water, to general infrastructural development, Kwara has verifiably turned the page. What we see under the Governor is man calls ‘Ijoba mekunu’, a government with genuine attachment to and love for the vulnerable and the poor.
In Educational sector, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq administration has completed a 3,000-seat auditorium at the Kwara State Polytechnic and a fully-equipped 300-seat information communication technology centre at the Offa College of Health Technology, complete with an access road that had been a nightmare for years. Also, he make sure the tuition fees is not beyond what the poor can afford and he granted students of kwara state polytechnic grace to pay for their tuition fees after examination in which this can be considered that the Governor is after the wellbeing of the poor.
Kwara State Social Investment Programme, initiated by the Governor, is the largest (and, according to the Bank of Industry, the most transparent) safety net by any subnational government in Nigeria today. The four-pronged scheme targets poor and vulnerable elders, petty traders, young people, and school-age children. These are Owo Arugbo (which currently has at least 10,000 elderly beneficiaries); Owo Isowo with no fewer than 21,000 beneficiaries; K-power for youths with over 13,000 trained in digital marketing skills; and Ounje Ofe, free food, designed for schoolchildren.
It is widely known that water is life and no human being can live without water, the water sector in the first anniversary, the administration has commenced the construction of new waterworks in Jebba, completion/extension of the one in Oyun/Offa, and Rore, and extensive reticulation within Ilorin metropolis.
Huge investments are being made on security, such as purchase of patrol vehicles. Besides, Kwara currently sponsors the largest number of (community) police constabularies to aid intelligence gathering and protect lives and properties.
With the help of the media, when the media unravel the problem facing the rural area of the state, His tenure has paid unprecedented attention on rural and urban roads to reduce travel time, boost productivity, and encourage investments in agriculture. Over 700 kilometres of rural roads and several river crossings linking farming communities are to be fixed under the World Bank/Kwara partnership within the next years — made possible with the government’s payment of N400m counterpart funds between 2019 and 2020. The asphalt work on the 33kilometre iconic Gwanara Ilesha Baruba road has begun, while significant rehabilitation works have been done on the long abandoned Kaiama-Kosubosu, while talks are ongoing to get Abuja to fix the long stretch between Kishi and Kaiama. Earlier, the administration graded the Bani Kaiama road to ease movement of farm produce. The administration has constructed dozens of interlocking (access) roads in the metropolis to shorten travel time.
From zero functional tractor it inherited in 2019, the administration has purchased at least 15 new tractors, complemented with implements and sustainable plans, to support commercial farming, drive economic growth, and create jobs. Recently, the Governor flagged off agricultural inputs subsidy scheme to support smallholder farmers with chemicals, improved seeds, and fertilisers at half market price. No fewer than 10,000 beneficiary farmers have been captured. The subsidy is an offshoot of the Beta Yield component of the transformation plan. Another component is the 500-hectare per local government Farm Kwara initiative whose pilot scheme has berthed in Ifelodun local government, supported by the private sector to help young people and women through agribusiness.
Within a space of two years, Kwara is back to national reckoning in sports and youths development. That effort began with the reintroduction of the sports festival which was last held in 2005. The official football team, Kwara United, are back in the premier league and, thanks to the government’s support, are a strong contender for the continental ticket. The administration has just constructed an eight-winged squash court, the largest in the country. Dilapidated facilities like the basketball court, handball court, baseball court, Kwara Football Academy facilities (hostel B) have been revamped. The Olympic-size swimming pool, long condemned to rot like others, is already taking shape. The extensive works on these facilities are a deliberate attempt to engage the youths and redirect national traffic of sports lovers and athletes to Kwara.
The administration is working hard to promote accountability. Its adoption of e-procurement process, its enviable profile in the States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS), and the social audit programme testify to this. Add that to its prudence which enables the state to survive, and pay salaries as and when due, at this crunch time.
Also, it is obvious that Kwara State Social Investment Programme, initiated by the Governor, is the largest (and, according to the Bank of Industry, the most transparent) safety net by any subnational government in Nigeria today. The four-pronged scheme targets poor and vulnerable elders, petty traders, young people, and school-age children. These are Owo Arugbo (which currently has at least 10,000 elderly beneficiaries); Owo Isowo with no fewer than 21,000 beneficiaries; K-power for youths with over 13,000 trained in digital marketing skills; and Ounje Ofe, free food, designed for schoolchildren.
Therefore, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is certainly is the promised man to bring Kwara State into limelight. with the space of two years, the light that seems dim at the end of the tunnel is now shining and lighting the dark cave. Otoge tenure has been working assiduously to restored the lost glory of Kwara state through the help of His Execenllency, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq whose government is majorly for the poor and the people of Kwara state. His tremendous achievements is visible and cannot be underestimate by the people of Kwara state. His achievements has placed Kwara state supra among other state in the nation.
Comments
Post a Comment