Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can only beat its own excellent record in the delivery of its campaign promises in basic education, healthcare, public funded-safety net programmes, gender mainstreaming and youths empowerment.

Speaking before a mammoth crowd at the inauguration of the Prince Sunday Fagbemi-led APC state executive committee in Ilorin, the state capital, the Governor said Kwarans have “resolved not to ever hand the reins of government to wandering wolves and their allies”.

The inauguration was attended by the crème de la crème of the ruling party, including Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; Speaker of the House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu and House members; members of the National Assembly; cabinet members; members of statutory commissions; and other critical stakeholders in the party.

The governor said no true Progressives will leave the party under which Kwara is fast regaining its lost glories, adding that whatever disagreements among brothers can always be resolved if those involved are committed to the growth of the state.

“Today represents a new beginning for our party in Kwara State. I congratulate all members of the new state executive committee. Let me remind you that this position is a trust. You now carry the mandate of over 400,000 members of APC in Kwara State to lead us to another victory,” Abdulrazaq said, drawing applause from the huge crowd.

“You are coming on board at a crucial moment. No genuine Progressive, whatever the disagreements, will sabotage the collective resolve of the people of Kwara State to solidify the victory of 2019 in 2023.

“From basic education, healthcare delivery, provision of water, infrastructural development and access to the rural areas, prudent management of resources, gender inclusion and youths empowerment, safety net for the poor, and welfare of workers, the Otoge administration can only beat its own excellent record. We can do more. What is certain is that Kwara people will never again hand the reins of government to the wandering wolves and their allies. APC is the trusted vehicle to keep the victory of 2019 and no patriot will leave the party.

“So, together with the government, you have a duty to mobilise the people of Kwara State on this just struggle to keep the till from those who perpetrated mindless pilfering of public properties and brought the state on its kneel.

“We will continue to work on our aggrieved brothers to see beyond personal ambitions and sheath their swords. They are always welcome to the house we built together. Our differences are not irreconcilable if it is all about the development of Kwara State.”

Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi congratulated the new party officials for standing by the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and urged them to work in unison for the development of the party and the state.

Speaker Kwara State House of Assembly Engr Salihu Yakubu-Danladi, who commended the unity and massive turnout for the event, enjoined members of APC executive council to go back to their respective wards and local governments to unite and encourage them to obtain permanent voters cards ahead of the 2023 poll.

Senator Lola Ashiru also congratulated the new leadership of the party and party men and women for their support which he said explains the turnaround of different sectors by the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in just two years.

Kwara APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, while performing the inauguration, admonished party faithfuls to make discipline their watchword, and ensure that they work for unity and victory of the party in the coming general elections.

He also enjoined those aspiring for political offices to pursue their ambition with all sense of decorum and sportsmanship, adding that the party will continue to reconcile the aggrieved members and work as a team ahead of 2023 polls.

“In view of these positive developments in the state all that is left is for us to put our house in order,” he said, after reeling out sector-by-sector achievements of the APC administration in the state.

“Putting our house in order cannot happen without discipline within the party. We will therefore begin by ensuring that there is discipline within the party.

“The party shall also embark on genuine reconciliation to win back our aggrieved members into the party. We shall not relent in our effort to unite the party and match collectively to 2023 to deliver victory for APC.”

Fagbemi noted that the government is doing a lot in preparing the youths for a better future and also giving them responsibilities and empowerment to achieve that goal.

He said Governor AbdulRazaq has achieved much in the areas of school infrastructure, healthcare service, road network and human capital development, commending the transparent manner the government conducted the TESCOM/SUBEB teachers’ recruitment exercise in the recent past.

“We will disagree to agree, fight and mend fences, sometimes spit in our respective faces; then help each other clean it up again. This is the nature of human interactions and we went through all these processes before God finally crowned our efforts through our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019,” he added, calling on aggrieved party members to unite and be one another’s brothers.

1. Courtesies….

2. The Stakeholders of Conscience started the struggle to Kwara liberation over 20 years ago to liberate Kwara from the shackle of godfatherism.

In the process of achieving the success we are currently enjoying today, some of us fought and reconciled, while others reconciled and fought again. Some of us parted ways based on principle, interest and disagreements, while others bridged gaps and form stronger bonds. We have cried and laughed together on different occasions and we continue to push forward. One thing I have learnt in our journey to liberation is that, the journey of this nature, involving huge numbers of people and managing diverse interest and expectations, patience is an inevitable ingredient.

3. Life is not static, we will disagree and agree, fight and mend fences, sometimes spit in our respective faces, then help each other clean it up again. That is the nature of human interactions and we went through all these processes before God finally crowned our efforts through our great party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2019.

4. The destiny of Kwara State was entrusted to us by the people of Kwara State, under the able leadership of our progressive governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and since 2019, when our dynamic leader, Governor took over the mantle of leadership, he has hit the ground running and instantly embarked on numerous intervention programs to rescue different sectors of our state from the verge of collapse.

5. Ladies and gentlemen, let me say that, in the last twenty (20) years since i have been an associate of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, I understand that the governor has always returns good gestures in like terms. It may require a little bit of time to balance the equation, but certainly, all those who have legitimate complain will be listened to and their concerns will be addressed.

6. Today, it is less than 3 years since Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq took over government, but all the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara State has not remained the same, in almost all sectors.

7. In the education sector, while the past government literally killed our education sector, the government of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is currently rehabilitating 600 schools, in addition to the 37 schools already renovated. The state government has also conducted the most transparent teachers recruitment exercise in the history of the state, in which only merit is the determining factor in selection process;unlike the status quo (who you know) which is the hallmark of the past administration.

Our aim as a party, is to support government to restore the standard of public

education and return the state to its glorious days as the best destination for

quality education in Nigeria.

8. In furtherance of this objective, logs of outstanding promotion of our Teaching Service Commission staff as well as SUBEB counterpart have been recently cleared.

10. For the first time since its founding in 1967, Kwara can boast of a general hospital that is worth that name in facilities and in accreditations. Until now, the premier general hospital had no functional intensive care unit (ICU) facility. No state hospital had any. Today, the AbdulRazaq administration has delivered a 12-bed ICU that is not just the largest in central Nigeria but is equipped with modern gadgets that include ventilators, patient monitors, defibrillators, syringe pump, suction machines, infusion pumps, and appropriate ICU beds, among other medical tools required to manage patients in critical condition. Similar investments have been made or are in the works in a few other general hospitals, including Offa, Okuta, and Lafiagi.

decided to abandon the project and allow it go to waste, while the people continue to suffer from lack of water. On the verge of the election, we all saw how they suddenly became “Mai ruwa” shamefully transporting water with tanker to their friends and associates. But today, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has not only fixed the water challenges in the state capital, the government is always fixing it across the 16 local government areas, all within the space of less than 3 years. What they couldn’t do for 16 years, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has done in less than 3 years. To the best of my knowledge, The Asadam water works, which serves about 95% of Ilorin metropolis is now in good condition, delivering drinkable water to every community and households in the state capital. The gesture is not limited to the central, go to kwara south (Igbaja and Oro-ago water works) and the northern part of the state (kiaima, lafiagi, patigi, Share and Gwanara water works) are all now in good working condition. This is apart from the hundreds of motorized borehole bestowed on various communities across the 16 local governments of kwara state.

15. Ladies and gentlemen, In view of these positive developments, all that is left for us as a party is to put our house in order. Putting our house in order cannot happen without descipline within the party. We will therefore begin by ensuring that there’s descipline within the party.

9. In the health sector, covid 19 pandemic showed us how tremendous the administration of Abdulrahman has worked to improve our health system. According to World Health Organization, Nigeria is one of the 4 countries in the world, whose response to COVID-19 was adjudged as the best and most impactful and Kwara State is one of the reasons why Nigeria had such positive rating. According to National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Kwara State is amongst the 4 most active and responsive States in the management and control of COVID 19 in Nigeria. Before Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq came onboard, many are dying across our hospitals due to lack of oxygen. The state oxygen plant had collapsed and abandoned. But the administration had not only fixed the oxygen plant, as a matter of fact, the oxygen plant was part of Kwara’s saving grace during covid 19 pandemic, because it supplied regular oxygen to the state, which helped us save many lives.

11.

On road infrastructure, even the blind can see that the administration has been unrelenting. Based on available records, there are over 150 construction and rehabilitation of road projects going on across the 16 local government areas of the state. The administration 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.

12.

The social investment program of the state are even more interesting, especially with the enactment of law by our vibrant state assembly to make it a permanent feature of our state to not only provide welfare support for our people, but to also stimulate the economy. 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..

13. For youths who are concerned about what the future holds for you, you all know that the current administration is not only preparing you for that future, it is giving you the responsibility and empowerment from now. While 70% of appointment made by this administration has been given to youths below the age of 40, numerous empowerment initiatives such as kwaraprenuer, kwarapitch, kwaratech etc have been rolled out to productively engagement the youths in meaningful activities. This is a good development because as elders, right before our very eyes, we can see that our younger ones are indeed ready to take on the world with required skills and mentality.

14. Additionally, if you do not know any sector, in which the administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has transformed the state. At least, you should be aware of the water sector. Before the Otoge administration, you are all aware of the shameful manner, in which the defeated dynasty deliberately refused to provide water for 16 years. Even though late Governor Lawal had made significant investment to make water available, the Saraki dynasty

16. The party shall also embark on genuine reconciliation to win back our aggrieved members into the party. We shall not relent in our efforts to unite the party and match collectively to 2023, to not only deliver victory for APC across board, but to do so with better margin compared to what we had in 2019.

Finally, I would like to urge all aspirants in the party to embark on their ambition with the sense of decorum and sportsmanship.

The aspirants should have robust engagement with the members of the party in seeking for their support and they should not castigate one and other under the guise of campaign. We are one big family and even if we are competing, we should do it with all sense of responsibility.

Thank you and God bless

APC

Announcing the much awaited inauguration of the executive members of Kwara State All Progressives Congress (APC) will be coming up on Wednesday 16th March 2023.

Venue
Kwara State Amusement Park, Unity Road, Beside Guarantee Trust Bank.

Time
10:00am
We will be glad to have you in attendance at this epoch making event.
Thanks, sir/ma

Odò Ọwá – It was with anxiety and eulogies the remains of Tunde Ashaolu, the PDP Publicity Secretary, was laid to rest.

Present at the event today was the Kwara APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi who led a team of APC members along with the state Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Tajudeen Folaranmi Aro to the final laid to rest of Late Tunde Ashaolu, the PDP state publicity secretary at his home town Odò Owa.

The deceased who died at the age of 47 was committed to mother earth in Odò Ọwá amidst sober reflection from friends and family members.

Prince Sunday Fagbemi in his address while commiserating with the family, friends and associates of the deceased, described Late Tunde Ashaolu as a media personality, a man of the people who increased the media presence of his party in the state and Nigeria in just short period he manned the position.

The APC State Chairman asked GOD to forgive and grant him eternal rest and give his family, the PDP the fortitude to bear the loss.

Alhaji Tajudeen Folaranmi Aro
State Publicity Secretary
Kwara APC, Ilorin
March 11th, 2023

Apollo otherwise known as acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis is a pandemic of a new enterovirus infection of the eyes. In June 1969, an epidemic of a new type of conjunctivitis was reported in Accra, the capital of Ghana but was nicknamed Apollo because it coincided with the time of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon. The incubation period is 24 hours or less and was found three years later in Japan where ophthalmologists called it Acute Hemorrhage Conjunctivitis (AHC). Like every disease of the eyes, it impedes one’s vision and discomforts the eyes.

Sight is power. Seeing is believing. A man cannot go far in life except his sight is above the blurring mirages of life. We are controlled by what we see than what’s heard. Just close your eyes to understand what visual impairment means. It’s a dark world where everything and anything is better imagined than real. We solely rely on the interpretations of others and it doesn’t matter whether they are right or wrong because we do not have the power to judge.

The Apollo leadership best captures the case of Kwara PDP, the major opposition party in the state whose loyalists’ sight appears fairly challenged, struggling to see the progress the state has achieved from 2019 to date. They have neither seen the construction and rehabilitation of educational infrastructure that has been left to rot since 2013 nor the unbiased recruitment of qualified teachers into the education system.

They are still scuffling to behold how the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq led administration despite inheriting billions of naira in unpaid salaries, pension and gratuities is fixing the decay with prompt salaries as and when due, sorting of promotional arrears for senior secondary school students or how pensioners are more happier with the N100 million monthly payment of gratuities from an insufficient N30 million monthly pay.

Apollo convinces us that nothing is wrong really as it would fade away in a moment but who doesn’t know that we are challenged from facing the sun unhurt? Kwara PDP sees nothing wrong with the dilapidated Oro and Lafiagi General Hospitals, shortage of basic and resuscitative equipment at the General Hospital.

As a matter of fact, the opposition wants Kwarans to easily forget that 27 primary healthcare centers have been fixed so far while more doctors and nurses have been employed which has boosted the confidence in the state public health facilities. They are not concerned that the state has recorded over 1 million attendance in public secondary health facilities while primary care attendance improved to over 300,000 cases. A percentage increase of more than 500%. Flabbergasting!

Does it matter to the opposition that deaths due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth in Kwara State reduced from over 1000 to 20 per 100,000 deaths, the second lowest in the country? Or the undeniable fact that death of an infant before his or her first birthday reduced to 0.4 from 2.6 per 1000 live births?

Do we need to clear the debris in the eyes of the Apollo leadership that the state moved from 36th position in 2019 to 18 in 2020 with immunization coverage level in the whole 16 local government areas?

Is it possible to say the effect of Acute Hemorrhage Conjunctivitis is responsible for opposition’s blurred vision to not have noticed the ongoing dualisation of Yebumot-AlHikmah-Adeta Road, completed section of 33km Ilesha Baruba – Gwanara road amidst the deplorable state of that road in time past nor the ongoing construction of 11.1km Osi-Obbo Aiyegunle Road?

Apollo leadership will bring nothing, but piecemeal interventions as real dividends of democracy. It’s like the sumptuous title of Soyinka’s book: ‘The Beautification of Area Boys’.

For example, the much celebrated Saraki welfarism package, Ile Arugbo where old women walked 3 to 5km to receive N300 and eat stale food was replaced with a state-funded and more dignifying social investment program as a decent alternative to what obtained in the past with a legislated and data-driven Owo Arugbo which saw the vulnerable getting stipends in their respective houses.

Even petty traders and youths who are often used for political thuggery have been empowered via Owo Isowo (non-interest loans) and Kwapreneurs which ensured that 170 youths received between N250,000 and N3 million, depending on the scale of their business and viability of their proposal, as judged by a neutral panel.
This is indeed beyond Apollo leadership

Apollo leadership will only give rise to lilliputian leader. With a lilliputian leader, you celebrate mediocrity. This is why we cannot afford to be plundered again. Everyone in Kwara State can testify to the sanctity in the governance space.

Whatever the shortcomings, the administration has set up various agencies to check institutional gaps that allow wanton misuse of public funds

Mediocrity of having over 6,000 households without access to clean water in 2019 has changed to over 10,000 household with constant and potable water in 2020. More than 8 waterworks have been fixed while 2 are currently undergoing construction.

Apollo is contagious and we have suddenly seen in the exact direction of the Apollo representative to the extent that it’s difficult for us to glimpse at the shining sun.

Those who want to follow Apollo leadership can’t see reasons but fear of what next to eat, comfort of office, ignorance or the combination of all have impeded them to know that having an Apollo leadership will hurt us and take Kwara another 8 years backwards.

Tobi Matthew tweets at @tobbiematthew

The Kwara State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Saturday, congratulated the state governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq on the occasion of his birthday anniversary, describing him as a quintessential leader, acknowledging his contributions to the nation building.

In a goodwill message issued by the party, the APC said Governor Abdulrazaq is a fearless and selfless leader, “who embodies the APC’s change spirit and firm resistance against injustice, abuse of process, violation of rules, divisiveness, suppression and anti-democratic tendencies in our country.

” Moreover, the APC relishes Governor Abdulrazaq’s massive human capital and infrastructural development across Kwara state; particularly in the critical sectors of road development, education, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, urban renewal and rural development among others, for which he is celebrated across our nation.

” The APC heartily congratulates Governor Abdulrazaq on his birthday and prays to God to bless him with many more years in good health in the service of our dear fatherland.”

” Once again, congratulations,your Excellency and do accept our best wishes and prayers,” the party said in its statement.

Signed

Alhaji Tajudeen Aro Folaranmi

State Publicity Secretary

Kwara APC, Ilorin.

Breaking: Prince Sunday Fagbemi just received his certificate as Kwara APC Chairman.

etails later

The Chairman of the nine-member All Progressives Congress (APC) National Reconciliation Committee, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu on Monday submitted the Committee’s interim report to the Chairman, APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni.

Member, CECPC and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani recieved the interim report on behalf of the National Chairman at the Party’s National Secretariat.

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, THE APC CHAIRMAN CARETAKER/EXTRAORDINARY CONVENTION PLANNING COMMITTEE AND EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF YOBE STATE, HON. MAI MALA BUNI, ON THE OCCASION OF THE SUBMISSION OF REPORT BY THE NATIONAL RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE ON MONDAY, 31st JANUARY 2022.

PROTOCOLS

I am glad to be here with you at this very crucial and important occassion of the submission of report by the National Reconciliation Committee under the chairmanship of Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and other Distinguished members of the committee.

As you are all aware, this committee is very important to our collective zeal of recovering, repositioning and rejuvenating our party for us to have a strong, stable and united APC.

The submission of this report is coming at a crucial period as we approach the National convention and the 2023 general elections. Therefore, the findings of the committee would contribute in no small measure to a successful convention and the general election.

Let me express our sincere appreciation to the committee for handling the assignment given to them with a high sense of commitment and responsibility. You have painstakingly visited states where we have challenges and addressed them squarely.

The great achievements the party has recorded in reconciling the differences among our stakeholders in Gombe, Ogun, Kwara, and many other states have justified the confidence the party has in your individual and collective capacities. You have truly done us proud.

| wish to assure you that the Caretaker Committee will carefully study the report and implement the same to improve the unity and strength of the party.

As you are aware, the party conducted a successful membership registration and revalidation exercise and now proudly has over Forty one Million membership making APC Africa’s largest political party and Nigeria’s leading party.

With this numerical strength, APC remains the party that can confidently win elections with landslide victory in all the national elections.

However, in spite of all the achievements recorded by the party under my stewardship, and the high profile defections into the party, it is very pertinent for the party to promote the philosophy of unity of purpose, to pursue national interests against personal interests and a functional system of internal democracy to have a United, stable and prosperous political party.

Let me once again solicit for your collective support to the caretaker committee for the party to organize a very successful National Convention that will be a stepping stone to the party’s success in the 2023 general election.

| want to thank you so much for adding value to our party through this all important assignment and look forward to your support in other commitments of the party.

Thank you all.

Members APC National Reconciliation Committee

1. Sen. Abdullahi Adamu – Chairman

2. Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo – Secretary

3. Sen. George Akume

4. H.E. Sullivan Chime

5. H.E. Ali Saad Birnin kudu

6. Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara

7. Alh. Suleiman Argungu

8. Dr. Mrs. Oluranti I. Adebule

9. Dr. Mrs. Beta Edu.

The Kwara State Commissioner of Communications, Hon. Olabode George Towoju, has described Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the “Messiah of Kwara State,” following the recent approval of the issuance of pending promotion letters to deserving teaching and non-teaching staff of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

Towoju, who made this declaration in an interview with press men in his office, applauded Governor AbdulRazaq for his unprecedented achievements and interest in all sectors of the State, particularly the education sector, which is made even more evident in his successful payment of the counterpart funds, a feat which has successfully made Kwara State to once again, continue enjoying the benefits inherent in the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Funds.

The Commissioner praised the governor for signing into law the consequential adjustments of the new minimum wage for levels 7-17 civil servants in the state and said it would serve as a form of motivation for the workers.

 He said that civil servants in the state have started receiving their salary alerts and they are happy with their salary increase.

“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has once again, shown that he is a lover of the Kwara child, parents and Kwarans at large and this can be seen in the way he is handling the education sector in the State. “

Talking about the counterpart fund that the administration of Governor AbdulRazaq paid off, Towoju asserted that “the past administration failed to pay the funds since 2013 and this led to UBEC sidelining Kwara State, thereby depriving our dear State of benefitting from numerous school projects from the UBEC fund.

“Fortunately for us, Governor AbdulRazaq deemed it fit to pay the fund and create an enabling atmosphere for Kwara to start benefiting from UBEC and I can categorically state that Kwara State is not where it used to be when we are talking of the education sector.

“They really did not care much about the education of our children because they enrolled their children in schools abroad and left our schools to perish.

“Even those whose kids were still in the country, enrolled them at top-notch private schools and so, the education of ordinary citizens like you and I did not matter much to them.

“Governor AbdulRazaq has done what the past administration found difficult to do. Teachers labour over their students and with the development of the issuance of promotion letters to teachers who will also benefit from the new minimum wage, the governor is showing us, once more, that the reward of teachers is not only in heaven but on earth.

“Just last year, he employed 4701 qualified and competent teachers, injecting First class degree holders into our public schools to teach our students, after a fair application and onboarding process, unlike previous administrations where they were just distributing slots, without knowing the competence of the teachers being given offer letters.”

While reiterating the significance of the development against the backdrop of what was in play before, the Commissioner added that Governor AbdulRazaq came into power with the decision to “set his people free from slavery and family business that has bedevilled Kwara for 16 years.”

He noted that the golden hands of the governor is set to touch every sector and improve the standard of living of all Kwarans.

“Kwara that used to be on the black list is now on the golden list. Finally, we are getting it right. We are now building a Garment factory that will employ as many youths as possible, a plan which will make the civil service not to be over-crowded. The Innovation Hub is also nearing its completion.

“They crippled our industries and turned Kwara to a “Civil Servant State”. Where is MatchCo? What happened to Kwara Textiles? What even happened to Kwara Furnitures which used to be our pride? Should we talk about Jebba Paper Mill?” The Commissioner added.

Towoju encouraged the Kwara State civil servants to reciprocate the confidence posed in them by the Governor and be dedicated to their duties, while shunning sidetalks and hearsay. He further urged them to desist from acts of indiscipline like late coming, absenteeism and misuse of public funds, adding that”…to whom much is given, much is expected.”

Ayobami Ashaolu,

Press Secretary,

Ministry of Communications.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday signed the 2022 budget, with the capital expenditure now pegged at 56%, indicating a commitment to complete many of the ongoing infrastructural projects.

The size of the budget is *N189,617,487,624* — 44% of it being for recurrent expenditure. The House passed the budget on Thursday.

The proposal from the executive had pegged the CAPEX at 55.3% of the total package while the recurrent stood at 44.7%.

1. Speaking shortly after signing the budget, the Governor said the budget also captured workers’ promotion and the consequential adjustment component of the national minimum wage — the payment of which begins this month amid applause from various labour unions.

“Some of the highlights of the budget included the implementation of the consequential adjustment of minimum wage and paying some salary arrears that could not be paid by the previous administration. We are equally doing cash backing of promotions. Those are some of the major challenges for the administration,” he said, in what underscored his passion for workers’ welfare.

“We will also focus on completing ongoing infrastructural projects, job creation and expanding the economic base of the state. We will try to ensure full implementation of the budget as much as revenue permits.

“I must commend the House for doing the needful to ensure that the budget is passed on time. We appreciate the work you have done.”

Some of the dignitaries at the budget signing are House of Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu;
Deputy Speaker Hon. Raphael Adetiba; Leader of the House Hon. Mogaji Olawoyin; Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation Hon. Ibrahim Ambali; Commissioners for Finance and Planning and Economic Development Florence Olasumbo Oyeyemi and Remilekun Banigbe; Special Adviser on Strategy Saadu Salau; and Clerk of the House Halimat Jummai Kperogi.

Danladi-Salihu, who commended the administration for its commitment to development, reaffirmed the determination of the House towards effective lawmaking in the state.

He added: “The budget was presented on the 22nd of December, 2021 and the Assembly began work immediately. We invited ministries, departments and agencies for budget defence. We scrutinised and passed the budget yesterday (Thursday).

“The budget is truly a budget of sustainable development and economic growth. The capital votes favour projects that will touch the lives of the people and reforms that would attend to decayed infrastructure. With these projects, our state will move to the next level infrastructural wise.

“The two previous budgets passed by this assembly show the prudency, integrity and transparency of this administration. It is our belief that the prudency and transparency that played out in the previous ones will play out with this too.

“Most of the projects cut across the three senatorial districts while the recurrent also aptly caters for the people’s welfare.”

He commended his colleagues for their hard work and commitment to the success of the administration.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
January 28, 2022