The Kwara State Government has improved the lives of women and youths in some rural communities of the state through the Farm Kwara Project.

The Farm Kwara Project models the Federal Government led NALDA Program, with its implementation commencing in Ifelodun Local Government of Kwara South.

Speaking at the Harvest and End of the Year event of Farm Kwara in Isin, Senior Special Assistant to Kwara State Governor on Non-Governmental Affairs, Toyosi Thomas, said His Excellency Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq brought together about 5 SSAs some years back to work on the NALDA Program.

The governor’s aides in the committee included, SSA, Non-Governmental Affairs Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas (Chairman); SSA, Job Creation, Mr. Aliyu Alhassan (Deputy Chairman); SSA, Community Intervention, Mr. Kayode Oyin-Zubair; SSA, SDGs, Ms. Jemila Ibrahim; SA, GIS, Mr. Abdulmutallab Shittu; TA, Agriculture, Mr. Abdulquawiy Olododo.

Others are officials of the ministries of agriculture and finance: Principal Agric Engineer, Mr. Abubakar Hussain and Principal Planning Officer, Mr. Aderemi Isioye.

“We were tasked by His Excellency to create a model similar to NALDA for the state, and that was what brought about Farm Kwara. His Excellency gave us the mandate to create jobs and sustainably improve the lives of women and youths in rural communities through Farm Kwara,” Thomas explained.

The event was attended by state cabinet members, royal fathers and community leaders, including the Olusin of Ijara Isin, Oba Ajibola Ademola Julius; Elerin of Adanla-Irese, Oba Dr. David S. Oyerinola Adedunmoye; among others.

The Farm Kwara project has impacted several rural community dwellers in Ahun, Adanla-Irese, Isin, Okeya-Ipo of the southern part of the state.

Thomas said in her presentation that the Kwara State Government is taking the lead amongst other states in developing sustainable projects that will outlive the current administration.

“That is why we have designed the Farm Kwara Program to ensure that Citizens of Kwara, especially those in the rural areas – moreso our women and youths – do not have to continue to depend on the Government, Aids, friends and family for their daily needs. Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq will forever be remembered for this great initiative.”

In her presentation, Thomas also attempted to chronicle how the Farm Kwara Project started in the state, noting the experience has been encouraging as community women showed commitment, cooperation and hard work.

“The Farm Kwara journey started at Ahun community in Ifelodun. The Ahun people received the program with so much expectations, and despite the fact that we had a shaky first 2 years, they are still standing. Thankfully this year, at Ahun – with the intervention of the Government as we’ve already heard from them – the Ahun Farmers enjoyed their farming and had a bountiful harvest. The Ahun farmers always display a high sense of community and teamwork, and they always stick together no matter the challenges. Ahun farmers, please continue to display Farm Kwara’s value of Hard Work, Community, and Team Work.”

She also acknowledged the support of the royal fathers of Adanla-Irese and Ijara-Isin respectively in making the project a whole lot easier for their people.

“From Ahun, we moved to Adanla-Irese, where the King, a developmental economist, my Royal Father- His Royal Highness Oba Dr. David S. Oyerinola Adedunmoye, Elerin of Adanla-Irese quickly showed us that he understood the benefits of the program even more than those that have put it together. Kabiyesi did everything in his power to support the development of his community.

“From Adanla – we moved to Isin LGA where again we were welcomed by yet another King who will stop at nothing to develop his community – The Lion King. Oba Ajibola Ademola Julius ensured that he brought Farm Kwara into his community, he cleared the Land and financed his farmers as well as the other farmers in the program. The Isin Women, clearly lived up to all expectations, they were ever ready, from coming properly dressed, to being punctual, you never had to repeat yourself with the Isin women.”

The Chairman congratulated farmers who were enlisted in the Farm Kwara Project, admonishing to remain resolute and committed because agric is not a get rich quick scheme.

“Today, I congratulate all the farmers that are present in the Farm Kwara Program, you all have been carefully selected for this program because as we all know, Agric is not a get rich quick scheme. Therefore, we need to ensure we have the right kind of people who will persevere and be resolute like the Adanla people, who will stay committed to the Program like the Ijara Isin people, who will work diligently together as a team like the Ahun people, and who will be ready to take advantage of the opportunities that this great program has to offer like the Okeya-Ipo People.”

The Present Administration of Mallam Abdulraman Abdulrazaq has further reiterated its Commitment towards enhancing Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurship training of the youths as it graduate over 400 trainees as well as other trainees from Kwara State Artisans Congress at International Vocational Training and Entrepreneurship College ( IVTEC), Ajase- Ipo, Kwara State.

The above statement was made by the Honourable Commissioner for Tertiary Education Dr. Afees Abolore ALABI who ably represented His Excellency Mallam Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq at the 3rd graduation ceremony of the Youth Empowerment and Employment Generation Scheme ( YEEGS) on Thursday 15th Dec. 2022

Dr. Abolore reiterated the commitment of the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq led Administration in keeping to its campaign promises as the Convocation Ceremony witnessed commissioning and distribution of starter packs with equipment and tools inform of empowerment initiative worth hundreds of Million Naira to over 400 graduands for the purpose of making them self reliant/ Entrepreneur rather than being job seekers and to reduce the possibility of them becoming idle hands in the devil’s workshop.

The representative of His Excellency mentioned that, when this Administration was inaugurated in 2019, the College existed in name with few facilities with no students and this development became worrisome and a thing of concern, this he said propelled this administration to take the bull by the horn by way of thinking outside the box through consultations with various stakeholders on how to consolidate on the gains of this Institution for it’s sustainability.

He further added that, the intervention and support is the third of it’s kind, but the difference is that, this is the highest number of students to be so trained in different skills in this Institution since it’s inception which he described as unprecedented.

Dr. Abolore Alabi reiterated that, as a responsible and responsive Government under the watch of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq shall continue to invest in programmes and projects that will propel sustainable development and make our teeming youth more self-reliant and prosperous

The Governor of Kwara State through the Commissioner for Tertiary Education Dr. Afees Abolore ALABI appealed to all and sundry, sons and daughters of our dear state of Harmony to continue to support this administration in the overall interest of our state and Nigeria at large because this achievement is going to be a tip of iceberg compared to what is yet to be unveiled in the subsequent activities of the Institution because self employment, Entrepreneurship, farming and innovation are the key to sustainable development and growth.

Mrs. Florence Balogun
Ag. DPFS, MOTE
16th Dec. 2022

What the choice of one Kayode Ogunlowo as the Director, Media and Publicity of the Kwara State People’s Democratic Party Campaign Council indicates clearly is that the party leadership thinks propaganda will win it back the state in the forthcoming 2023 election.

Former senate president Bukola Saraki and his followers are so desperate about this election. They just want to win, whether by hook or by crook. They are yet to come to terms with the reality of not being in control of our collective patrimony in the last three years or so. The sole strategy they think ejected them from Government House is propaganda and they are leaving no stone unturned to dish out as much misinformation, disinformation and fake news as possible to cling to power.

In a video where Saraki was receiving Ogunlowo their newfound love to PDP which is the party of the ‘enugbe’ people, he confirmed that the new decampee is a liar, propagandist and fake news peddler. He in fact said that by his assessment nobody spreads fake news and propaganda than Kayode Ogunlowo and one other person. He also explicitly said that what he wants from him is to help concoct untruths, half truths and misinformation to send away the current administration. And to show a total commitment to this propaganda enterprise, Saraki has now settled for the renowned fake news peddler as spokesperson of his party’s campaign council.

Is it not ironic that Saraki jumps almost everytime to his social media handles to call for issue-based campaigns and excoriate fake news and misinformation, but in the actual sense he is elevating somebody he himself confirmed to be a fake news peddler just to win him the 2023 election? What Saraki and his people however fail to learn is that they cannot ride back to power on the basis of propaganda. The people are wiser. The era of their deploying propaganda and falsehood to win election is gone. Kwara people can on their own differentiate the present from the past in terms of impact and no amount of propaganda will change their minds to return this performing administration.

Almost everybody in Kwara PDP is a liar and a chief propagandist. Their spokesman Tunji Moronfoye is a self-confessed liar who deliberately dishes out falsehood and imaginary stories just to soil the reputation of the sitting government. Saraki himself is a barefaced liar. His wife Toyin Saraki even turned out to be worse as an arrogant liar. One Demola Banu too is trying to revise a history that is still fresh in the memories of Kwarans. How does one tell lies compulsively and confidently just to get back power? They have a lot of fake boys whom they are exploiting their poverty of ideas to help them spread fake news and misinformation.

But the issue on the ground is very simple. Let’s assess the basic things that affect the livelihood of the common man. Was it a lie that during the Saraki dynasty’s era people were receiving geri-gedi salaries? Was it propaganda that civil servants were owed various months of salaries across MDAs? Was it a lie that our waterworks were not functioning despite the huge amount of billions allocated to solve the water problem, leaving our people to the mercy of some water tankers? Was it a lie that our public schools were like prison yards, teachers were not paid as and when due and the quality of education had dropped drastically? Was it a lie that our healthcare facilities had become a shadow of themselves, lacking the required equipment? Was it a lie that this government did not inherit a single working tractor in the agric sector? Was it a lie that the Saraki dynasty made a lot of white elephant investments that have not yielded any returns for the state? They should come and explain to us how much Kwara has benefitted from Shonga Farms or Kwara Mall or Cargo Terminal, and so on. The pathetic stories that come to us is the debts we have to service on these failed, complicated investments.

Saraki and his people should look inward. These and more reasons are why the people of Kwara said enough was enough and rejected the Saraki dynasty in 2019. They led a failed, incompetent and anti-people government. Today in Kwara, we now have a government that has never defaulted in the payment of civil servants; has implemented the minimum wage despite the global economic challenges; has fixed our waterworks and embarked on reticulation projects. This government has rehabilitated over 600 schools in the last three years, whereas the previous one diverted UBEC funds running into billions earning the state a blacklist. This government has given a facelift to our health facilities and has equipped them with necessary materials. From zero non-functional tractor, Kwara bought 15 new tractors to support farming operations. The promotion of civil servants that has long been stagnated and left without cash-backing is getting required attention under this administration. This government has made life a whole lot easier for the people, unlike the one that just selects a coterie of cronies to enrich.

Look at the key indicators in poverty rate, unemployment, financial sustainability, health. Kwara has jumped forward. We are no longer the backward state we used to be, owing to committed leadership, fiscal discipline and pro-people policies of the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration. Poverty rate in the state has declined drastically from 30.2% in 2019 to 20.4% in 2022, according to a World Bank report. Unemployment rate has dropped from 21.1% in 2019 to 16.5% in 2022, according to a date by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Kwara has moved from 20th in 2018 to 8th in 2022 based on financial sustainability rating of sub-nationals in Nigeria. Yet these PDP elements said nothing has changed in the state. May our minds not be blocked.

PDP’s understanding of governance and performance is when you erect gigantic structures, call for a jamboree to make noise about it, even when these structures have no impact on the livelihood of the masses just like the Shonga Farms. So, the new style of their propaganda is to say that Governor AbdulRazaq has not initiated any project since the inception of his administration. This is a lie from the pit of hell. There are several completed and ongoing projects started under this administration, apart from also fixing inherited ones to better the lot of the people across the three districts in the state. This administration has built the first ever radio station in the whole of Kwara North named Nootia FM, well equipped and up to taste. This is after fixing the parent company Radio Kwara left in mess by the previous administration. There is also the Kakakin FM in the central part of the state built by this administration. This administration constructed the Eye Centre at the General Hospital and added new wards in the premier hospital. Many of these completed projects scatter across the state. It’s not about noise or grandstanding. It’s really about the impact.

Ongoing projects by this administration include the Garment Factory, Innovation Hub, Visual Arts Centre, International Conference Centre, Sugar Film Factory, General Tunde Idiagbon Flyover, Dualisation of Adeta-AlHikmah Road, construction of Osi-Obbo-Aiyegunle Road, among others.

When these projects are completed, they will not only make Kwara a go-to place for economic activities due to their significance, they will also create job opportunities for the people, shore up the revenue base, and turn around the fortunes of the state.

Most of the signature projects Saraki established which many turned out to be failed investments in the life of their dynasty, were not completed in the space of his first term. In fact, many of them dragged on to the administration of former Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed, with some even not completely paid for and wrapped up to the current administration. In any case, few of them yielded benefit to the state. What we are witnessing today is settling debts upon debt on Shonga Farms. Cargo Terminal was needless to say a waste of public funds. Kwara is yet to get any returns from the investments on Kwara Mall. The Metropolitan Square project was never completed. These are the projects they celebrate around. Failure and dubiousness!

As we go into this election, beyond propaganda, Kwara PDP will have to explain to the people why they have to choose a system that couldn’t pay something as basic as salaries to a system that prioritises the welfare of workers and has never defaulted in paying civil servants. They will have to explain why the people should reject a system that revived our waterworks for the one that abandoned them and left us to the mercy of water tankers. They will have to explain why the people should choose a system that diverted UBEC funds to the one that renewed our relationship with UBEC and is making meaningful investments in our basic education. They will have to explain why the people should give preference to a system that weaponised poverty to the one that has been intentional about stamping out poverty. They will have to explain to women and youths why they should choose a dynasty that relegated them to the background to a system that gave them recognition and inclusion. The PDP has only 1 female candidate in this election, where the APC has about 5. Add that to the gender composition bill signed by this AbdulRazaq government that ensures at least 35% inclusion for women in the state cabinet. These are the posers Kwara PDP should be seeking answers for rather than nursing the belief that propaganda will win them this election.

Ndanusa writes from Shonga, Edu Local Government

Our attention at Harmony Holdings Limited has been drawn to a report published by one disreputable local blog on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, on Kwara Hotel, where it stated that the Kwara State Government has sacked some of the hotel’s staff members.

We debunk this claim as no worker of the state-owned hotel has been sacked to this day. The report is uninformed, speculative, malicious and one-sided. We therefore advise the general public to disregard the report which is targeted at painting the government in bad light as has been the trademark of the blog.

The facts of the matter for clarity purpose are that the transition process of Kwara Hotel staff is still work in progress. The process is being jointly undertaken by the Office of the Head of Service, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology, and Harmony Holdings Limited, which are looking at educational qualifications, age and other criterias to suitably migrate the staff into the civil service.

Following several sittings by these parties to take definite action on the staff, it was found out that some workers of the hotel may not fit appropriately into the BIT Ministry which requires some level of qualifications and expertise. So as to therefore not distort the civil service practice and also render the staff jobless, other sectors of the civil service are being considered for their deployment.

The parties will continue to review the matter, just as the staff and the general public can be assured that the best decision that aligns with the law will be taken. We reiterate again that no worker has been sacked.

In fact, the state government under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as a genuine and considerate administrator has graciously approved the payment of these workers for both the months of October and November which has been duly paid as at the time of this press release. Assurances have also been given that every staff whose migration process is not concluded before the salary for the month of December is due will still be paid under the same current transitory arrangement while the migration process is being concluded.

We therefore urge members of the public to be circumspect of uninformed and malicious reports flying around. The current administration will continue to take actions in line with the rule of law, public interest and best practices.

Finally, it is instructive to state that entry into the Kwara State Civil Service is guided by its rules and conditions which include but not limited to minimum eligibility requirements such as educational qualification and age, all of which must be reviewed and considered in the transition process. While this process is still on, however, no worker of Kwara Hotel has been retrenched as painted by the blog.

Corporate Affairs Unit

Harmony Holdings Limited

December 13, 2022

• Flag off GEEP 2.0 loans for farmers, widows, others

• FG commends AbdulRazaq’s buy-in, impactful projects

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian, Disaster Management and Social Development in partnership with the Kwara State government has flagged off the disbursement of N20,000 grant each for at least 2,655 poor and vulnerable Kwarans under the FG’s Grant Vulnerable Groups programme (GVG).

They also launched the second phase of the Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (GEEP 2.0) — another loan scheme of President Muhammadu Buhari that is designed to benefit 6,086 farmers, business owners, widows and divorcees across the state, through the National Social Investment Programme (N-SIP).

This came 24 hours after the State government supported 490 young enterprenuers under the Kwaprenuour (3.0) with interest free loans, where the star business pitchers went home with cheques of between N1.5m and N2m each.

At the flag-off ceremony on Wednesday, the Minister in charge, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, said the cash grant is part of the FG’s social inclusion agenda to raise millions of Nigerian citizens above the poverty line.

“We are here to flag off the Grant for Vulnerable Groups programme (GVG) in Kwara State. It is President Muhammadu Buhari’s fulfillment project that was introduced in 2020 to sustain the social inclusion agenda of the federal government to lift 100,000 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years,” she said.

Represented by the Director of Social Development in the Ministry, Taiwo Adeola Bashorun, the Minister said the 2,655 prospective beneficiaries were drawn from across the sixteen local governments of the state.

“The GVG is designed to provide a one-off cash grant of #20,000 to the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians in rural and peri-urban areas across the 36 states of the federation including FCT. Our target in Kwara State is to disburse the grant to at least 2,655 citizens across the 16 LGAs of the state,” she added.

“Mr. President has directed that 70% of the beneficiaries must be women, while 30% is reserved for youths, with at least 15% of them expected to be persons with disability (PWDs) and the aged people in the state.”

She commended the State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the synergy and how the state subscribes to the FG’s social investment programmes and other economic policies, especially the proper handling of N-SIP initiative in the state.

“We at the Ministry of Humanitarian, Disaster Management and Social Development acknowledge the complementary efforts of the Kwara State Government led by His Excellency AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in the implementation of the N-SIP in the state. With this proper synergy, we believe that the target beneficiaries and many more citizens of the state will be on their way out of poverty to prosperity by 2030 as designed by President Muhammadu Buhari,” she added.

At the event were the Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq represented by the SSG Prof Mamman Saba Jubril; Special Adviser on Strategy Alhaji Saadu Salau; Special Adviser on Political Communication Alhaji Bashir Adigun; Special Assistant on Religion Alhaji Ibrahim Danmegoro; Dr. Ghali Alaya; and some of the targeted beneficiaries.

Jubril said the disbursement of grants and loans to marketers and poor citizens reflects the government’s comnitment to inclusion and wellbeing of the citizens.

Jubril urged the beneficiaries, who are in different categories, to make good use of the funds and not commit them to frivolous purposes.

State Focal Person for N-SIP, Mrs. Bashirat Abdulrasaq, lauded the federal government for committing huge financial resources to lessen hardship and enhance the living standards of the masses.

She called on the National Assembly to pass into law the N-SIP bill without further delay, noting this will enable the government to expand the scope of beneficiaries of the scheme across the country.

She also commended the State government for domesticating the FG’s cash grant policy in the state, which she said has benefited a lot of marketers, youths and vulnerable groups.

“We call our own Owo Isowo (trader moni) and Owo Arugbo (cash conditional transfer). The fact that the Federal government initiated the programme and the state government embraced it is highly commendable,” she said.

Highlight of the occasion was the symbolic presentation of cheques and cash to the various categories of the beneficiaries.

The adoption of “O su wa” as campaign slogan by the Kwara State PDP is unarguably a symptom that they are going through what is called Political Depression, a recent topic that is gaining global interests among political scientists and clinical psychologists.

O sun mi (singular) meaning I’m “fed up” O sun wa (plural) “we are fed up” a term commonly expressed out of frustration due to successive failures of attempts at a particular endeavour or when life is generally perceived to be hopelessly unfavourable to an individual or group; a symptom indicating such an individual or group is undergoing or prone to depression. So if Kwara PDP chose to adopt such a slogan too, it means they are exhibiting a symptom of depression or Political Depression in this case.

Simply put, Depression is a state of mind producing serious, long-term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future.

By extension, Political Depression involves thinking and feeling like we no longer have control over our destiny. Dr. Robert Lusson in his article on Political Depression says: “Political depression may be partially driven by the fear that one may be materially harmed or socially excluded by conditions beyond one’s control.” Political Depression is an “…intense feelings of helplessness, grief and anxiety which occurs due to distressing social and political events.”

These brief definitions of Political Depression above simply encapsulate and point directly to the current psychological reality the members of Kwara State PDP are going through.

“Depression is a state of mind producing serious, long-term lowering of enjoyment of life or inability to visualize a happy future.” This is not far from the current situation of Kwara PDP, because their “enjoyment of life has been lowered” due to their inaccessibility to Kwara State fund which has been their cash cow for all manners of luxury life they lived. Hence their lack of enjoyment has created a fear in them and impaired their vision of living a “happy future”, a fear that the APC Abdurahman Abdulrazaq will rule the state in the next four years God willing, thereby dashing away the hope of PDP living a happy life anytime soon.

Dr. Lusson further posits that Political Depression “may be partially driven by the fear that one may be materially harmed or socially excluded by conditions beyond one’s control.” Of course, there’s no doubt that the Kwara PDP led by Bukola Saraki to the last members are gripped by the fear that they may be materially endangered and socially excluded from schemes of things in the state because they no longer control the political power both at the national and the state level.

Political Depression is an “…intense feelings of helplessness, grief and anxiety which occurs due to distressing social and political events.” Obviously there are many political events capable enough to cause intense feelings of helplessness, grief and anxiety for Bukola Saraki and the Kwara PDP…

From losing the 2019 PDP primary to Atiku after coming a distance third with 317 votes, coupled with the “O to ge” political revolution that dismantled the Saraki dynasty, marking the beginning of the diminishing sociopolitical relevance of Bukola both at the national and state level, to also of recent, all the manipulative efforts by Bukola Saraki to secure the PDP 2023 Presidential ticket and later to be the DG of Atiku Abubakar all hit brick wall, which compounded Bukolas’s political predicaments.

Therefore, these series of political events are bad enough to create frustration, helplessness and hopelessness for the PDP Leader in the state and his followers, hence the reason for adopting “O su wa” as a campaign slogan, a symptom that they are battling with some psychological deficiency, because it is only a political party who’s membership have mental case will say “O su wa” (they are fed up) with the ongoing unprecedented development of Kwara State by Mallam Abdurahman Abdulrazaq.

Soliu Mohammed
Director of Publicity, Kwara APYF

The Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has warned supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to desist from destroying billboards of APC’s candidates across the state.

The party gave the warning in a statement , on Monday in Ilorin. The warning is sequel to the complaint by the party’s candidates following the destruction of their billboards by some alleged thugs.

APC in Kwara described the destruction of the campaign billboards of their candidates in Ilorin and other parts of Kwara State as a barbaric and dangerous plot to cause political crisis.

The party further warned that the resort to violence and the desperation to prevent Kwara people from making their leadership choice in the upcoming governorship election will backfire.

” It has come to our knowledge that some members of opposition parties in the state are going about defacing and tearing our posters/billboards and causing security breach in the state.

” The APC wish to categorically state that anyone or group of persons found in the ugly act should be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.

” We equally wish to urge our followers to abstain from retaliatory actions and allow the laws to take its full course,” the statement read.

Signed

Alhaji Tajudeen Folaranmi Aro

State Publicity Secretary

Kwara APC

Ilorin.

Hundreds of defectors across opposition parties in Kwara State have joined the ruling All Progressives Congress in Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state.

The massive defections happened today on an open field during the local government APC General Ward Meeting in Idofin Igbana community.

The decampees claimed that, what is happening in other political parties are nothing to hold by but Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s APC has done so much for them in the local government and in the state at large.

Speaking for the Hausa Community, Mallam Abila Danlami said himself and his people residing in Oke-Ero has never had it so good and has no choice than to join APC and support Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s reelection for their personal and general benefits.

Welcoming the decampees into the APC fold, the Commissioner for Finance, Hon. Oyeyemi Olasunbo Florence, said the defectors are from all the 10 wards of the local government having witnessed different developmental projects in their various localities.

The Commissioner who is a daughter of the soil also said several groups were represented such as, Fulani Community, Hausa Community including the plantation farmers from Ado-Ashe, all from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and other opposition parties in the state.

According to the Commissioner, the defectors realized, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has the excellence and has proven the worth, so the people see it as a must to join hands with him and ensure victory of the party from the Presidency down to the House of Assembly levels.

She said all wards in the local government are fully represented to throw weight behind the governor’s reelection bid and charge the environment while showing strong support.

She however thanked the governor for counting the local government worthy of the massive development it has experienced since the beginning of his administration.

Also, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. George Olabode Towoju hailed the governor for the recognition and support he is giving the indigenes and residents of the local government.

Hon. Towoju said there is hardly any ward in the local government that you won’t see at least one political office holder or the other. He revealed that, Oke-Ero is one of the few local governments in the state that produce two commissioners.

He said with the feat, “our people are totally committed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s project for him to win his reelection come 2023 for the continuity of the good governance Kwarans have always been yearning for.

Some of the achievements of the governor in the local government are as follows;

Construction of four class rooms at Iloffa Grammar School with three offices.

Construction of 3 blocks of classroom with two offices at St Pete Primary School, Iloffa.

ICT Centre at St. John Primary School Iloffa.

Construction of 3 classrooms at Jamat Primary School Iloffa.

Reconstruction and rehabilitation of Oko – Idofin Igbana Road to Odo-Ashe ongoing

Reconstruction and rehabilitation of blocks 10 classroom at St. Paul Primary School, Idofin-Igbana Ward l

Reconstruction and rehabilitation of blocks of 4 classrooms at Idofin High School, Idofin Ward II

Rehabilitation and refurbishment of Model Health Centres at Omi-Egun Road, Idofin Ward II.

Construction of Oko – Idofin Igbana – Odo Ashe Road.

Construction of Omi Ayin Bridge along Idofin Ayekale Road.

Building of two blocks of classroom at United Primary School, Ekan and rehabilitation of Obaji Comprehensive Secondary School, Ekan.

Building of six blocks of class room in Odo Ashe.

Construction of two new classrooms and renovation of another 4 classrooms with furniture at Muslim Primary School, Ayedun.

Construction of two blocks of classroom at Imode/Egosi Ward and many more projects yet to be captured.

Sequel to the 100 percent Bursary increment of kwara State Students of Tertiary institutions accross the Country, the State Government has Commenced disbursement of Bursary through the Online platform that has been made available to the Students of Tertiary institutions.

The Commissioner for Tertiary Education Dr Alabi Afees Abolore disclosed this development during an inauguration ceremony and launching of the 5th edition of ACME magazine by the National Association of the Nigerian Students (Joint Campus Council (JCC) Kwara State Axis held during the week at the College of Nursing Ilorin Auditorium.

Dr Alabi during his keynote address reeled some of the achievements of the Kwara State Government under the administration of Mallam AbduRahman Abdulrazaq and further encouraged students not to be allowed for cheap political gains by selfish individuals or group of people. The Honourable Commissioner advised them to take their academic pursuit as top priority and that they should shun all forms of social violence amongst others.

Dr Abolore added that the Administration of Mallam Abdulraman Abdulrasaq is committed towards Students welfare and would ensure that Kwara Students welfarism are taken very seriously

Dr Abolore urged the beneficiary (Students) to put the bursary payments to good use and expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the Executive Governor of Kwara State AbdulRahman keeping to his campaign promises in all areas of sectors including Basic and Tertiary Education.

The Kwara State Students affirmed and endorsed the working Governor Mall. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for second term having been convinced of the developmental and prosperity agenda of His Excellency Mallam Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq for great people of Kwara. They prayed that may Almighty God make it easy for him. Amen

Mansurat Amuda-kannike

Press Secretary

MOTE

• _Civil servants are life wire of public service, says Gov_

• _Says local economy, stability dependent on workers’ earnings_

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Thursday restated his commitment to the welfare of the workers in the state, with labour and civil servants commending him for his steady pro-workers’ policies, including prompt payment of salaries and promotion.

AbdulRazaq also dismissed the rumour that he plans to disengage civil servants if re-elected, saying: “one of the ways to maintain social stability in the society is to ensure that as many people as possible are productively engaged and are able to put food on the table of their families. For us, sacking workers is not an option. Our belief is that the civil servants are the major lubricants of this economy. Whatever you pay them helps to keep the fabric of the society together. Worse still, you really don’t save anything by sacking workers. Instead, it creates more problems. It is not an option for us.”

The Governor spoke at the banquet hall in Ilorin, the state capital, during an interactive session commemorating the 2022 Civil Service Week.

He reiterated that civil servants are the life wire of public service, recalling how his administration had restored running costs to the civil service after many years, effected promotion with cash-backing, purchased dozens of operational vehicles, and implemented and sustained the payment of the minimum wage in a manner that labour and civil service leaders say is a reference point in Nigeria.

The programme was organised by the office of the State Head of Service headed by Mrs Susan Modupe Oluwole, and attended by the Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; cabinet members; Kwara NLC chief Comrade Issa Ore; TUC chairman Comrade Tunde Joseph; Chairman Joint Negotiating Council Comrade Saliu Suleiman; among others.

“Since our assumption of office, we have prioritised payment of salaries, pension and gratuity because we know how important they are. When that is not done, it creates a lot of distractions. But we want you to remain focused on what you do. For us, we can say it is most paramount for us to pay your wages and prioritise your training and welfare,” he said.

The event afforded the Governor another opportunity to take questions and observations from the civil servants — after which he responded in great details.

“There is a rumour about sacking civil servants after elections and all that, it is quite laughable. The first question you will ask is how much do we save by sacking workers? You don’t save anything because even if you sack a worker you have to compensate him or her one way or the other. You have to pay the pension and gratuity, so at the end of the day you are not saving anything. Besides, how much are we even paying them that we want to sack them?,” the Governor queried.

He commended the workers for their continued support for the government.

Mrs Oluwole, for her part, said the interactive session formed a part of her office’s mandate to set aside a period for workers to rub minds on issues affecting their interests.

She commended the government for its emphasis on workers’ welfare, including the regular payment of their wages, promotion, as well as the pensions and gratuities for the retirees.

Oluwole tasked the workforce to reciprocate the kind gesture of the government by doubling their efforts towards assisting the administration to further succeed in policy implementation.

Ore commended Governor AbdulRazaq for his commitment to workers’ welfare, saying Kwara is among the few states with great and consistent implementation of the minimum wage — a sentiment repeated by other labour leaders.

Some of the workers, who spoke at the interactive session, took turns to eulogise the AbdulRazaq government for treating them well in various manners since inception of office.

Falade John Olumuyiwa, a director at the State Fire Service, appreciated the Governor for his timely renovation and equipping of the State Fire Service.

Comrade Sanni Oloyin said the civil servants are happier seeing the Governor interfacing with them and requested that the interaction be done quarterly.

Mustapha Mary, a deputy director from the ministry of environment, requested upward review of the fund released for monthly payment of gratuity, although she acknowledged that it has never been so good.

Bashir Lawal (KWARMA) called for the construction of more bus stops on the highways, and commended the government for the approval of promotion of their colleagues, which he said had hitherto been pending.

Demola Olanrewaju of the Ministry of Communication, who commended the administration for its unprecedented strides and commitment to staff welfare, appealed for more equipment for the Ministry.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
December 1, 2022