Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday said sports could be a means of Nigeria projecting soft power to the world if the local talents are properly developed and motivated.

“It’s my hope that the government at all levels should develop a sectoral plan strategy to transform sports into an industry that empowers our teeming youths for social and economic development,” AbdulRazaq said in a speech at the closing ceremony of the 5th National Youths Games at the University of Ilorin in Ilorin, the state capital.

“Sports should not just be for mere recreation; it should be an important tools for image projection and diplomacy, a source of soft power, and a big industry that can engage the youths who would otherwise have channelled their abundant energy to other untoward activities.”

AbdulRazaq commended all the participants for their sportsmanship and hailed the Sports Ministry and the host university for their efforts that resulted in the success of the game.

“All of you are winners. The fact that you all came here from across the country shows your efforts to win,” he said.

“I hereby congratulate the organisers of this event. It is a fantastic event, hosting up to 4000 youths is a phenomenal thing. I salute Delta, Lagos in specific, I cannot call all states.”

He pledged to make the event better next year, including ensuring that the state contingent performs better.

“This is a new government, and we have seen what can be achieved and what is achievable. Certainly next year it is going to be a better event. This is my first time to this event, next year we would come in full force. And we believe there will be progression and growth because the number of the participants in this edition surpassed last year’s, and next year we hope to have more,” he added.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
16 September 2019.

Kwara State Government has received a total of N3,516,975,521.40 (three billion, five hundred and sixteen million, nine hundred and seventy five thousand, five hundred and twenty one naira, forty kobo) as net monthly allocation for the month of October.

The amount is minus N681,499,217:53 (six hundred and eighty one million, four hundred and ninety nine thousand, two hundred and seventeen naira, fifty three kobo) deductions made at source as monthly repayment of loans including the bailout funds (budget support) that the past administration received from the Federal Government. The monthly deductions started in September.

The monthly allocations included N3:333:607:862,59 statutory revenue allocation (SRA); N859, 606, 843,58 Value Added Tax (VAT); and N5,260,032,85 Exchange Gains, according to a statement on Friday by Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance Benjamin Fatigun.

The statement said a total of N2,689,825,780,50 (two billion, six hundred and eighty nine million, eight hundred and twenty five thousand, seven hundred and eighty naira, fifty kobo) also came to the 16 local government areas of the state as allocation for the month.

The tally includes N2,198,740,352,73 SRA; N487,616,079,59 VAT; and N3,469,348,22 Exchange Gains.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has forwarded the names of four women to the State House of Assembly as commissioner-nominees, including a 26-year-old Joana Nnazua Kolo from Edu local government area of the state.

AbdulRazaq has also nominated a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the FBN Mortgages Limited, a subsidiary of the First Bank, Mrs. Folashade Omoniyi, as the new Chairperson of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS). She would succeed Prof Murtala Awodun whose tenure expires soon.

Omoniyi, who holds a bachelor of engineering from the University of Ilorin and Masters of Business Administration from Obafemi Awolowo University, has many years of leadership experience in the banking sector, marketing, information communication technology, and business management.

She has executive education in positive leadership from Michigan Ross Executive Education (USA); Market Driving Strategies from London Business School (UK); Strategic Uses of Information Technology from Stanford Business School ( USA); and Senior Management Programme (SMP18) from the Lagos Business School (Nigeria).

Omoniyi is from Irepodun local government area of the state.

Miss Kolo, the youngest commissioner-nominee in the state’s history, is a 2018 graduate of Library Science from the Kwara State University (KWASU). A grassroots mobiliser, Miss Kolo is an ardent advocate of community development.

If confirmed, she would be Nigeria’s youngest commissioner, taking the trophy from Oyo State’s 27-year-old Oluwaseun Fakorede.

Miss Kolo is still having her National Youths Service Corps programme in Jigawa, where she is teaching at Model Boarding Junior Secondary School Guri. Her screening for the cabinet seat would hold after she rounds off her NYSC service in the next two weeks.

The three other nominees are professionals and grassroots politicians: Mrs Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu; Arinola Fatimoh Lawal; and Aisha Ahman Pategi, according to a correspondence AbdulRazaq forwarded to the House and read at the Tuesday plenary by the Speaker, Rt. Honourable Salihu Yakubu Danladi.

A 1997 graduate of Economics from the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Mrs Modibbo-Kawu also holds Masters in Business Administration from University of Ilorin and various certificates from Penn Foster Career School Scranton in the United States and Metropolitan School of Business and Management in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A member of several professional bodies like the Institute of Chartered Economists of Nigeria and Nigeria Institute of Management, she is a co-founder of a number of schools and learning centres.

She is married to the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu and would be representing Ilorin South in the cabinet if her nomination scales through the House of Assembly.

Arinola Fatimoh Lawal, a 1993 graduate of Catering and Hotel Management from the Kwara State Polytechnic, is a top-rated player in Nigeria’s hospitality industry with experience as chief executive officers of several firms including Batool Nigeria Limited, Mohbalamira Nigeria Limited and MirMira Enterprise.

Hajia Lawal, who was a member of the Kwara State Transition Committee in 2019, is a daughter of former Kwara State Governor Mohammed Lawal from Ilorin East local government. Her skills cover project management, tourism and hospitality, change management, and Risk Management. A grassroots mobiliser with effective leadership skills and emotional intelligence, the nominee is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Kwara State.

A scion of one of Kwara’s oldest political families, nominee Aisha Ahman-Pategi is a professional business manager with over 20 years experience in communication strategy, investment/financial consulting, and marketing and motivational leadership. She is a serial entrepreneur known for a contagious passion for excellence and innovation with great resource skills in research, government and relations.

Ms Ahman-Pategi was educated at the School of Remedial Studies and FASS-International Relations in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State in 1996; Agent and Broker License Barney Fletcher School, in Atlanta GA, USA in 2004; Capstone Institute of Mortgage Finance, also in Atlanta in 2006; Stanford University, Stanford California where she obtained a certificate in Political Science (Data Analysis) in 2013; Bachelor of Art – Mass Communication from Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma; and MBA Business Administration from American Inter-Continental University, Dunwoody GA.

Aisha was Sales Manager for J&S Auto Sales Decatur, GA 30082 before founding A-Line Realty SMYRNA, GA 30082 in 2004 as the President and Managing Broker. The agency serves more than 300 clients by providing financial planning, assets management, commercial and residential estate transactions.

Between 2005 and 2007, she joined Continental Mortgage/World Financial Services Inc., Atlanta, GA 30324 as Financial Advisor/Mortgage consultant where she assisted clients with their needs via financial need analysis.

Aisha, a former Senior Special Assistant to the Speaker of the House of Representatives on Strategy and Communication, has also worked for the nonprofit Project Coach Foundation since 2018 as executive director.

The nonprofit organisation serves the most vulnerable communities in Nigeria through Community Outreach, Advocacy, Capacity building and Health (COACH) projects.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
17 September, 2019.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday inaugurated the State Task Force on immunisation and primary healthcare, saying the exercise forms a part of his administration’s efforts to stamp out polio and strengthen access to primary healthcare.

“The presence of an active State Task Force on Immunisation is a prerequisite for quality polio campaigns and routine immunisation services. The role of the Task Force amongst others is to coordinate/supervise all Polio Eradication Initiatives (PEI) activities in particular and Primary Health Care in general in line with recommendations from the State Technical Team,” AbdulRazaq said in an address inaugurating the Task Force headed by Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi.

“It is also to be noted that one of the requirements for the full implementation of Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR) in the State is the functionality of the State Task Force especially with the prevailing outbreak of vaccine-preventable poliomyelitis in the State.”

He urged members of the Task Force to work closely with Alabi to deliver quality primary healthcare to the people of Kwara.

Alabi, for his part, commended the Governor for his leadership which has raised the quality and depth of healthcare services available to Kwarans.

“We appreciate Your Excellency for the trust reposed in us and we pledge to work very hard to fulfil the expectations of our people to improve healthcare services so that Kwara can regain its leadership position in the scheme of things.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Rhoda Ajiboye, said the inauguration was in line with the Abuja Commitment by all the state governments to support polio eradication and routine immunisation in the country.

“This Task Force will provide political support and mobilise necessary resources for the implementation of both routine and supplemental immunisation activities in the state,” she said.

AbdulRazaq had recently paid counterpart funds to strengthen polio immunisation in the state following the outbreak in January 2019 of some vaccine-derived polio cases. He had also recently paid counterpart funds to facilitate free malaria treatment, nutrition, and other basic healthcare services.

Membership of the Task Force include the Deputy Governor (Chairman); Chairman House Committee on Health; Representative of the Wife of the Governor; Representative of the Ministry of Health; Representative of the Ministry of Finance; Representative of the Ministry of Information; Representative of the Ministry of Environment; Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA); Directors of the SPHCDA; State Immunisation Officer; Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON); Representative of Ministry of Women Affairs;
Representative of Ministry of Education; and representatives police, army, artisans, civil society organisations and religious bodies, among others.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
4 October, 2019

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRahman on Wednesday sent to the House of Assembly a list of six additional commissioner-nominees, comprising top-notch professionals and administrators with rich political backgrounds.

This comes a few weeks after AbdulRazaq unveiled a list of four women commissioner-nominees, including the 26-year-old Joanna Kolo.

The new nominees are Barrister Salman Jawondo (Asa); Lafia Aliyu Kora Sabi (Baruten); Dr. Raji Razaq (Ekiti); Architect Aliyu Mohammed Saifudeen (Kaiama); Wahab Agbaje (Whyte, Offa); and Murtala Olarewaju (Oyun).

With 29 years of post-qualification experience as a lawyer, Jawondo is almost synonymous with the longstanding struggle to change the political status quo in Kwara with his numerous court cases and advocacy to challenge what he considered the anti-people decisions of the previous administrations.

Barrister Jawondo is an alumnus of the University of Lagos where he read Law between 1986 and 1989. He was at the Nigerian Law School between 1989 and 1990. A disciplinarian and no-nonsense lawyer, he is a member of the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee in the North Central Zone and was Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin Branch, between 2009 and 2011. He is the founder of the Jawondo &Co., Legal Practitioners. He is from Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

A former chairman of Baruten Local Government and a grassroots politician, Aliyu Kora Sabi has a Bachelor’s degree in Education (Guidance and Counselling), PostGraduate Diploma in Public Administration and Masters degree in Public Administration from Universities of Ado Ekiti and Ilorin, among others. He taught in various schools and served as a senior administrative officer in his Baruten local government for nearly two decades.

Sabi, who was born in 1970, is from Yashikira town of Baruten Local Government area of the state.

Born in 1979, Raji Razaq is the Medical Director of the Comprehensive Health Centre Agwara, Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State.

A polyglot, Dr Razaq attended the University of Ilorin for his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery between 2000 and 2006; the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, for his Master in Public Health between 2015 and 2017. He was the NYSC Chief Medical Director, Kebbi State Camp Clinic in 2007 and an aspirant for the House of Representatives in Ekiti/Oke Ero/Irepodun/and Isin Federal Constituency.

He hails from Osi in Ekiti Local Government area of the state.

Architect Saifudeen hails from Kaiama Local Government area of Kwara State. He holds a Bacherlor’s degree in Architecture and Master of Science in Architecture — both from the University of Jos between 1993 and 1999.

He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) and Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON).

Saifudeen has worked with various local and multinational firms in his area of expertise, including French-owned Bouygues Nigeria Limited where he was Assistant Design Manager; Lebanese Sageto Limited where he was Project Coordinator; and Crushed Rock Industries Nigeria Limited owned by Germans.
He is the Managing Partner at Constyle Services Limited; Chairman of Fiasminat Limited; a partner at Kab Development Services. Saifudeen is an accredited resource person with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and a member of the Education Sub-Committee of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.

Murtala Olarewaju is a grassroots politician, an administrator and a teacher. He attended Federal College ofEducation Kontangora for his National Certificate of Education; Kwara State Polytechnic for his Higher National Diploma; and Ladoke Akintola University for his Master in Public Administration. He also has Teacher Grade II Certificate from New Bussa Teachers College Niger State.

He taught at various schools between 1982 and 1998. He was an administrative officer with the Kwara State Local Government Service Commission between 1998 and 2017. He retired as Deputy Director of Administration in 2017. Olarewaju hails from Ijagbo town in Oyun Local Government Area of the state.

A successful businessman and administrator, Wahab Agbaje (Whyte) holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Ladoke Akintola University. He also bagged High National Diploma in Accounting from Kwara State Polytechnic and National Diploma in Accounting from Federal Polytechnic Nasawara.

Agbaje is the Managing Director of Whyte and Associates Nigeria Limited. He is the Community Representative of the Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic Offa. A senior member at the Institute of Diplomacy and Conflict Management, Agbaje has had at least 12 years experience in educational and business administration, conflict resolution, agriculture, revenue mobilisation, construction and contract negotiations.

Whyte, as he is fondly called, has been a grassroots politician since 1990. He was a member of the Contact and Mobilisation Committee for President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation (2018) and Director of Contact and Mobilisation Committee of the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Campaign Organisation (2018). Agbaje was National Vice Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP. He was elected state chairman of the party in 2006. He was also councillor-elect Shawo South West Ward, Offa Local Government in 1996.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
09 October, 2019

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Wednesday called for urgent diversification of the Nigerian economy to lessen national reliance on crude oil, saying the country must invest in agriculture and small and medium scale enterprises.

“The theme of your study tour —Economic Diversification and National Development in Nigeria —is very apt. The time has come for us to diversify our economy and drive growth to cope with our surging population,” AbdulRazaq said in Ilorin during a meeting with the participants of Course 28 of the National Defence College who were on a study tour of Kwara State.

“Our security as a country is directly linked to our ability to engage our population in productive endeavour and guarantee food security.”

AbdulRazaq said his administration is prioritising small and medium scale businesses and agroprocessing.

He added: “Kwara State under us is engaging with various companies to grow small and medium scale businesses. We are also encouraging bigger corporations to deepen their investments here. Very soon, the Kwara State Social Investment Programme will come on stream, especially targeted at lifting the poorest out of poverty line, empowering the artisans and small business owners and teaching skills to thousands of others.

“We do not claim to know it all. Please feel free to offer us your own insights on how to achieve more in our journey to build a viable state.”

Speaking earlier at an event commemorating the World Food Day, AbdulRazaq said Kwara will partner with various stakeholders to ensure food security, especially sugar production which he identifies as major comparative advantage for the state.

“The way forward is agriculture and agroprocessing. That is our future. We are in central part of Nigeria and Kwara alone can feed the nation. This is particularly true in sugar production where we have the potentials to feed the whole country,” he said, citing the upcoming $350m sugar refinery by BUA Group, the coming on board of the Dangote Group and ongoing talks with AMCON to revive the Bacita Sugar Company in the state.

The Governor also restated his commitment to lift as many poorest of the poor as possible out of the poverty line through the Social Investment Programme that is currently with the State House of Assembly, hoping that investments in small enterprises would spread prosperity and comfortably bring more people into the tax net of the state.

Responding, Commodore Henry Hassan, leader of the Course 28, commended the Governor for his giant strides in helping the people, adding that his “unusual way of mobilising your men to go to the grassroots and see things for themselves” stands him out as a great leader.

Hassan said his team would share their research outcome with the administration as part of the overall national strategy to ensure food security and development.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
16 October, 2019.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday said the looted funds recently returned to the state would go into social investment programme to benefit the poor.

“By the grace of God, this money will go into social investment programme of the state. It is going into lifting thousands of people out of poverty. We are not going to award contracts with this money. It is going to help the poor people,” AbdulRazaq said at the official handing over N111,428, 891.00 looted funds to the government by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

AbdulRazaq commended the anti-graft body for their efforts and service to the country, assuring that the funds would only go into serving the downtrodden. He also called on Kwarans to continue to support the body.

“We thank the EFCC for what they are doing. We are happy that in our state you keep us on our toes. Unlike what many people may perceive, EFCC are partners in progress all over the federation. So we should join hands with them and assist them,” he said.

AbdulRazaq said Kwara under him is replicating many of the Federal Government’s programme to make life better for the people, adding that the state’s Social Investment Programme Bill is already with the State House of Assembly.

“We are replicating many of Federal Government programme in Kwara especially the social investment programme, which people know as Trader moni, market moni, N-power and school feeding programme. The Social Investment Programme Bill has already passed second reading and this money will go into the programme. We are not going to waste or mismanage it,” he added.

Speaking earlier at the handing over of the looted funds, the state zonal head of the EFCC, Isyaku Sharu, said the money had been recovered from “treasury looters” in Kwara and that the agency had so far recorded 29 convictions

“We have 29 convictions and over N500 million (five hundred million naira) recovery of both assets and cash; part of this recovery is the N111, 428, 891.00 cash recovery for the Kwara State government,” Sharu said.

“This recovery is from suspected Kwara state treasury looters. The suspects are alleged to have criminally misappropriated landed properties of Harmony holdings while other diverted funds meant for the micro, small and medium credit scheme. The suspects cut across political office holders, traditional rulers and top civil servants.

Sharu stated that he was mandated by the Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu, to present the recovered loot as part of their contribution in getting rid of economic and financial crime-related offences in the state.

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
11 October, 2019.