The sun had crackled from its shell and slowly, but steadily, embraced a dazzling bright day not different from every other day. But before night falls, it left so much to remember. It defined its difference in grand style and left so much to thank Allah for, and so much to wish and hope for. This, perhaps, captures the event of Friday, September 20, the day Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, in his characteristic monthly stewardship, explained to the people of Kwara State his giant strides, expectations and new projects, challenges and what to hope for before the end of his first term in office. Appropriately tagged: The Governor Explains, he, in the process of accountability, without doubt, made himself an open book.
Typical of him, he left nothing facing down, as he had also done when members of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, visited him some months back. Indeed, like he earned the respect of the President of the NGE, Femi Adesina, who, went on to describe him as the 21st century ideal leader, Governor Abdulfatah, not only earned the respect of the journalists who had put him on the ‘hot’ seat, but also re-defined good leadership and road map to progress and even development across the state.
“Health is wealth,” he had told his small audience, as he started off with his plans in the health sector. The Maigidan Kwara, as he was rightly anointed by Maimartaba Ilory, Alhaji Zulkarnaini Ibrahim Gambari, disclosed that renovation works at Share, Kaima and Offa General Hospitals have been completed, even as work is near completion at Omu-Aran and Ilorin General Hospitals. Exuding optimism, he said that by November, this year, the hospitals which he revealed his administration already has in store state-of-the-arts equipment that would make them world class health facilities, would be fully operational and comparable to any good hospital around the world.
Not done on health, Governor Ahmed emphasized his government’s determination to renovate five additional hospitals before the end of year 2015, even as he re-iterated his resolve to ensure each council area has a General Hospital in fulfilment of his health sector revolution. He harped on the need for everyone to have access to portable water, as according to him: “We do not want people to walk beyond 500 metres to access portable water.” While promising to sustain the renovation works going on across water works in the state, he disclosed that the state spends N10 million monthly, to sink boreholes in areas that can not access water. Shortfalls in allocation from the federation account not withstanding, the ever resourceful Governor assured Kwarans that “we are already drawing a water programme that will also see additional 16 Waterworks given a face-lift and enabled to operate at full capacity”.
Humble to the point of admitting that he is not a magician that can make something out of nothing, he confessed to numerous challenges before him, including but not limited to paucity of funds. Undaunted, the Governor classified expectations in few months ahead under three main units; Job creation, training and security. Serenading and holding everyone spellbound in just 60 minutes he fielded questions, he left no one in doubt where he was piloting the state to and doing so with an infectious humility and passion that showed his latent conviction on the Kwara project and how important everyone is in the task of achieving the vision.
“We are tackling unemployment head on. Already we have grouped all the artisans in the state – welder, mechanic, carpenter, bricklayer, fashion designers, barbers, into one association across all 16 local government councils, so they can access a soft loan of N100 million,” he said. According to him, a committee has already been set up to work out the modalities so that every deserving person will get the loan through a Micro Finance Bank. The youths are not left out. The state government, he said, has equally initiated a N50 million revolving loan for youths trained under the Youth Empowerment Scheme in partnership with KWASU. Like the youths, civil servants also have a chance to procure the automobile of their dreams as another N3 billion car loan initiative has just been disbursed.
Determined more than ever before to leave a lasting legacy in the state by consolidating on the infrastructure development programmes of the last administration, the Share-born administrator said his government was poised to construct a new State Secretariat with information technology facilities that would house four ministries namely: Planning, Water, Energy and Commerce, as according to him, a good working condition and environment goes a long way to increasing productivity.
“There’s no place like home: and, a home lacking in peace no longer qualifies as home,” he told the panelists. To make Kwara State a home for all, the government, he revealed, procured patrol vehicles for the Police, Navy, Army, Airforce, Civil Defence and the State Security Service. “I want to assure every resident in Kwara State that security occupies prime position in this administration. A good government must also protect what it has and the people are all that we have,” he said.
Asked what his reaction was to allegations levelled by Christian Association of Nigeria, Kwara State Branch, Maigida adjusted his sitting position, and began reeling out his years-long relationship with the Christians in the state long before he was appointed commissioner and later governor. “To start with, my better half is a devoted Christian. I have a number of relatives and friends who are very committed Christians. Kwara remains one united entity determined to explore our religion diversity to build a formidable, prosperous state. It was unfortunate such insinuation emanated from CAN whose members are highly patriotic. Don’t forget that we are peopled by Nupe, Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani and Baruten and other ethnic nationalities and we have the responsibility of making everybody feel part and parcel of the State,” he said. “Appointment into civil service or any organ of government in the state is largely on the three Senatorial district basis;
every council area is carried along. We should not allow ourselves to be reduced to the level of checking whether or not one is a Muslim or a Christian; all that is important is who qualifies and able to do the job and with particular reference to the Senatorial district and local government areas. In Kwara South, for instance, you find families where same siblings are of the two denominations. Where do we stand there? Since when did we begin to appoint people based on religion? I come from Share, a predominantly Muslim environment, but when we wanted to appoint a Permanent Secretary, the person who was deemed qualified is a Christian. We appointed him to the position and nobody complained.
We need to grow up beyond religious or ethnic sentiments,” the governor explained, pointing out that most political appointments are drawn from the list sent to the party by their people in the sixteen local governments and often not a sole decision of government. “I repeat. We must not allow ourselves to be dragged into the needless controversy of appointment or anything on the basis of religion. No matter our religious beliefs, we must live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools,” he stated matter-of-factly.
He dismissed concerns about the ability of the state to repay borrowed money, saying that no Bank would lend money without the assurance of repayment. “Therefore,” he said, “it is because we have the capacity to pay back that is why we borrow. So, if they say Kwara State is indebted, it is not a big deal.” He took time to explain how the state utilizes its monthly federal allocation of about N3billion, saying that with a monthly commitment in salary and other sundry issues amounting to over N2 billion, the balance would not be enough to finance construction of projects such as roads, bridges, renovation of roads, hospitals and waterworks, among others.
The governor, in what could appropriately qualifies for a re-dedication of self to the Kwara State dream, pledged to complete all ongoing developmental projects in the state, including prompt disbursement of bursary awards and scholarships to qualified and deserving youths, who show outstanding academic excellence.
He, however, informed the panelists that unlike when everyone benefitted from the bursary and scholarship awards without proof of distinction in academics, the government has decided to give it to only those who demonstrate excellence and ready to study hard. Interestingly, the state government has earmarked N50 million for empowering the youths through skills acquisition at the International Vocational Centre, Ajasse-Ipo, even as he hints of efforts aimed at shoring up investment in the production of rice, diary poultry and mix cropping in the state, saying he aims at making Kwara State the number one agriculture hub in Nigeria.
Indeed, it was such a refreshingly rewarding and equally re-assuring 60 minutes that left everyone hopeful and expectant. Like one sufficiently trained in the art of speaking and knowing what he wants and how to get there, he won more converts as always, by displaying passion, vision and determination hard to capture in words.
Abdulwahaab Oba is the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, and writes in from Ilorin, Kwara State.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
