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However, Kwara State under the able leadership of Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has brought certain levels of intervention to the people of the state through the medium and small enterprise funding windows where entrepreneurs, small traders are made to access funds either under associations, groups or cooperatives to trade in their small businesses. But one critical angle took by the administration to change the economic environment of the state and create employment opportunity for the teeming youths, is driving agriculture. Agriculture is, therefore, one area that the administration has taken seriously as a means of creating jobs, the state has commenced a programme called the Off-Taker Demand Driven Agricultural Scheme (ODDA) which has engaged youths across the state in farming. It was designed to begin to make youths move away from the so-called white caller jobs. The government in turn invested in land clearing, agricultural inputs, credit facilities, fertilizers, seedlings and land for farming. Also, road infrastructure is provided to enable the transportation of agricultural produce to urban centres. The essence of ODDA scheme, nevertheless, is to guide participants from what they are producing to the ultimate consumer of their products and allow them to see the value chain that goes on in any typical production process. Interestingly, many youths in the state have keyed into the agricultural scheme thereby accessing funds meant for the scheme under the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS) that the Federal Government made available through Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The sum of One billion naira was provided to the state by the Federal Government through CBN to fund the programme which gave birth to the ODDA initiative of the state government. About 800 farmers, including youths and farmers in the state have benefitted so far from the first stream. The scheme is expected to be upscaled this year while the state government will also benefit from another agricultural programme initiated by the Federal Government called the Anchor Borrowers Scheme which is another funding window by the Central Bank of Nigeria to raise another generation of farmers.

In the same vein, the governorship and state Houses of Assembly campaigns will start from December 1 and ends on February 28, 2019. This is in line with the earlier dates set for the Presidential and National Assembly elections slated for February 16, 2019 and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections slated for March 2, 2019.

Be warned: this piece is not for hypocrites. If you are one, sign off. It is written: “Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed.” Yes, I may want to join the Afrocentric bandwagon and begin to lob rude and angry expletives on President Donald Trump, but because Africa is yet to weave its spell of greatness on me, I will not speak evil of POTUS. I will not be counted among the self-righteous mobsters who are defending Mother Africa from a man known for racist slur, bigotry, extremist views and for his preference for eugenics.

While many of us took time off from work and other preoccupations to be with our families over the Christmas and New Year holidays, many Nigerian soldiers and members of other security agencies were in the front lines, ensuring that we were safe, protecting our lives and property,

Nigerians who have been denied, neglected, dumbed down and damaged by Buharonomics, zero vision, insecurity, lack of opportunities, impunity, unemployment, status quo oppression, political pretences, fear and self-centredness have turned out to be the victims of brutality, violence, rape and murder in the Libyan desert wasteland

Nigerian soldiers, hitherto revered, in my days of youth, became derided and hardly appreciated by the same people it serves at a minutely risk of their lives.  No one was ready to sympathize with them at moment of trials or even think positively of their salvation roles in nationhood.

While we regard the contrived debate on the 2019 Kwara South Senatorial District Senate ticket as premature since the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State has established procedures for producing ticket bearers in all elections, we emphasize that Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed is focussed on fulfilling his mandate as Governor of Kwara State and has not declared an interest in contesting for the position or any other.

There is a renewed focus beyond the GTD, in enforcement of standard and safety of electrical equipment and installation across the country. Sector operators initially dismissed safety and standard as a major issue but over time the realization has dawned on all operators that the GTD is not enough. Regulating installations and equipment for standard and quality is a serious component of every developed power sector.

The recent appointments into federal boards of government parastatals and agencies, where a few names of the dead were published in error, is a case in point. With the candid explanations by the Presidency through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, it was expected that the matter should have been laid to rest. Yet, some mischief-makers latched onto the issue and exercised no restraint in denigrating the President, pouring invectives on his person all through.

But if providence has not “smiled” on you yet and your hustle, no matter how legal or illegal it is, has not paid off, try as much as possible to build a formidable network with those in the corridors of power, especially if you do not reside in the city but in remote villages in Benue, Kaduna, Taraba, Adamawa and so on. Failure to do this interpretes to a death sentence, one you might not escape from.

God says to you that He is making a way for you! You will see a solution miraculously appearing to you. It will happen supernaturally and suddenly; just like a dream. You know, naturally it is not easy to make a road through such tough terrain like the wilderness because it is usually a vast, unfriendly, dangerous and desolate environment. But God is saying to you today that He will make it possible. Praise God! That thing that has taking long and looks so insurmountable like the wilderness will give way! Just get ready!