Gov. Ahmed charges community on development

Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has said that community development associations must remain insulated from partisan politics but remain as complimentary partners in attracting infrastructural developments and opportunities to their communities.Governor Ahmed who gave the advice when the leadership of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union, (IEDPU) paid him a courtesy visit and presented a position paper on the developmental agenda for the community in the next four years, said such associations must

remain apolitical, stressing that as agents of community development they must ensure that politicking is not stretched to the limit at the expense of development and growth of the community.

Governor Ahmed, who illustrated his position with the Amusement Park in Ilorin in which over N2.5b would have been invested by a private investor from Lagos but as a result of pending litigation, called on IEDPU to always intervene on behalf of the community to avoid such

missed opportunities in future. “N2.5b which would have been invested to generate more employment opportunities for our youths was diverted to another state because of needless litigation”, the governor said.

The Governor stressed that the economic reality is that government no longer has the capacity for involvement in business, but in setting conducive environment for economic growth, adding that even globally governments were de-investing in business by concentrating on critical

areas like provision of infrastructure, health services, security, energy and schools.The governor emphasized that the security task force set up in response to violence perpetrated in Ilorin emirate recently by some hoodlums would be in place to ensure enduring peace in the community, adding that his administration has zero-tolerance for miscreants.

He gave an assurance that strategies were been evolved to come up with rehabilitation programmes for the hoodlums and miscreants, adding that lack of jobs did not call for resort to wreaking for havoc on innocent people.

The National President of IEDPU, Alhaji AbdulHameed Adi in his address said the position paper presented by the association centred on critical areas like security, health, job creation, land matters among others.

Alhaji Adi said the Union was in support of the candidature of the former governor of the state Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki for the President of the Senate of the 8th National Assembly.