KWARA STATE

ABDULFATAH AHMED: STEADY AND STABLE

Abdulfatah Ahmed’s midterm report shows an appreciable impact on the lives of the people of Kwara State, particularly in education, health, infrastructure projects and employment generation.

His task was made easier by his banking background, which equipped him with the capacity to financially reengineer the state and restructure the state’s internal revenue service.

Among his ongoing projects are the underpass at Geri-Alimi roundabout, dualisation of the Ganmo-Olunlade junction, dualisation of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital-Sango area, and Operation Light-up Kwara.

His administration has also rehabilitated five general hospitals in Ilorin, Share, Kaima, Offa and OmuAran with modern equipment.

Ahmed has commenced the building of the campuses of the state-owned university at IleshaBaruba and Osi as part of efforts to bring education to the doorsteps of the people of the state. The Ajase-Ipo International Vocation and Skills Acquisition Center has also taken off to reduce unemployment among the unemployed youths in the state.

Ahmed has also sustained the agriculture policies of his predecessor, which wooed farmers from Zimbabwe to set up Shonga farms. Today, the farms provide poultry, milk, processed cassava, soya bean, maize and rice and ginger to WAMCO, Kentucky Fried Chicken in Lagos, and food produce to Shoprite. Through the farms up to 3,0004,000 are employed during the harvesting season. Residents in the neighboring villages enjoy power supply, water and access to healthcare facilities. Several investors like WAMCO and Olam are currently operating in Kwara, creating employment opportunities for its residents, while several others are showing interest in investing in the state’s agricultural sector. Through the farms, Ahmed is now targeting the export market.

However, the non-completion of the Ilorin water project has remained a major setback in the efforts of the administration to make pipe borne water available in the state capital, Ilorin.

Ahmed must be credited with significantly improving IGR in his state in one year, but more needs to done to meet its obligations to creditors and its workers.