A Fresh Beginning
Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah of kwara State promises more dividends of democracy as the people of the state urges him to sustain the momentum
By Olawale Abideen
Driving through Oja Oba to Baboko in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara state, Segun Awogbemi, President of Atunluse Welfare Security Guards thanked God for the wisdom given to Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah who embarked on operation no pot holes in Kwara state to make the roads in the state more motorable. “Thank God, Governor Ahmed is here to work. Within hundreds days, all the potholes that damaged vehicles have been filled. We now drive freely around the city without fear of car crash.” Awogbemi noted as he expressd satisfaction over the achievement of the PDP led administration in the state.
Like Awogbemi, Colo Jery, the President of Northern Union (Youth Wing) believes the state helmsman has demonstrated a strong will to how quickly he wants the people of Kwaran to feel the impact of governance. “Within weeks of assumption, he cleared the mess of potholes which has claimed many lives through ghasty accidents. The most fascinating achievement of the present administration is its youth empowerment scheme. Honestly speaking, nothing could be appreciable as the provision of jobs to” the teaming unemployed Kwarans’ Jery said.
At the Ilorin new market, Emir’s market and Sango market where the magazine seeks the opinion of the market women, the story is not different. The market women who spoke to The Source applauded the government for starting well. They stressed the need to continue in the mood that transform the state within 100 hundreds days in office.
Having taken over from Dr Bukola Saraki’s administration where he served as commissioner for finance and economic strategy, Governor Abudulfatah wasted no time in mapping out his strategy. He convened a policy retreat in Lagos to establish the points of agenda for developing the state. The outcome of the policy summit came out with tangible plans to achieve accelerated health care services, youth empowerment through job creation, roads construction and rehabilitation, electrification and environmental protection.
Within hundreds days in office however, the administration built and commissioned well equipped cottage Hospital at Alapa. The government also constructed and delivered for use an ultra modern school of Nursing in Oke-Ode.
While the operation no potholes is still in progress, the Ahmed led administration also constructed the boundary road that link Ekiti State through Osi and Otan.
As part of the activities to mark his hundred days in office, the governor launched a youth empowerment scheme tagged Kwara State Bridge Empowerment Scheme (KWABES). The occasion also put smiles into the faces of 2,000 jobless youth as they were presented with letters of appointment. This according to the governor is the first batch of the employment generation strategy of his administration.
Presenting the letter of appointments to the beneficiaries, the governor said that the gesture was in fulfillment of his pledge to empower the state. The governor noted that unemployment is a household statement to most Nigerians youths and that was why he established KWABES to collate data on employable youths in the state. The Governor also said that the Federal Ministry of Youth Development is to partner with the Kwara state government for a comprehensive skill acquisition programme for youths in the state to make them become self reliant.
In a remark, the Minister for Youth Development, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi thanked Governor Ahmed for his laudable achievements within 100 days in office. The minister also promised the support of his ministry to the numerous youth empowerment scheme of the Kwara state government.
Governor Ahmed also seized the occasion of his 100 days in office to commission the new Kwara United Football Club Secretariat complex and the newly up-graded world-class main bowl of the state stadium complex in Ilorin. The governor also promised to construct standard stadia in all local government areas and senatorial districts. This according to the governor is to promote sports development in the state.
Meanwhile, the Kwara state chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN has described the 100 days of Governor Ahmed led administration as a waste, stressing that aside from patching pot holes the PDP government has nothing to show for the huge allocation being received from the federal government. The ACN also criticised the Kwara state government for employing only 2,000 out of the millions unemployed youths in the state.