By Lateef.B. Giwa
SEEKING re-election into any political office in Nigeria is almost a ritual. It does come with an entitlement mentality, and some Nigerian politicians are not known for doing that as a result of their love for the masses or the people they claim to represent. Some politicians fight for re-election given the perks of office. In some cases, some politicians want power at all costs just to be relevant or to be the one at the centre of everything, the man of the moment. But back at home here in Kwara, the narrative is different in the case of Gov. AbdulRasaq AbdulRahman, as his administration is known to have retooled and repositioned some administrative incongruities which the state was previously enmeshed in. In various sectors, AA’s government in the state has reworked what used to be an administrative aberration before he mounts the saddle of leadership.
Today, to the glory of God, Gov. AbdulRahman is working and Kwara is progressing. The progress made by his administration is visible to the blind and palpable to the deaf, just as the lost glory of the state has been repossessed through many landmark achievements that uplift and will remain indelible in the annals of history. In the comity of states in the country, Kwara State stands tall in terms of developmental achievements through the administrative ingenuity of Gov. AbdulRahman who has left no stone unturned in his attempt to redefine governance in the state. The governor has prioritised the interest of the masses above the politics of stomach infrastructure because he believes in enduring legacies that will outlive whatever form of immediate gain or interest. One can also not wish away his youth-inclusive government in the state as countless number of youths hold many sensitive and strategic positions. Through KWASSIP, many interventionist initiatives have been put in place to add value to lives, small scale businesses and some youths are dutifully engaged doing well in technology and ICT.
Today, the state is an industrial hub with moribund industries resuscitated, economy revitalised, agro-business promoted to meet the yearnings of the people. To a commendable extent, the AA’s administration in the state is a huge blessing; and little wonder the popular slogan, ‘ma se lo’(meaning continue with your good works). As part of his effort to rework Kwara and bring about a conducive working environment, the government has completed the rehabilitation of the Area Court, at Center Igboro; reconstruction of Sango Magistrate Court which was gutted by fire; re-roofing of the High Court Complex in llorin; approval and payment of all the outstanding allowances of judicial officers, law officers in the Ministry of Justice, Magistrate and Area Court judges, and the approval of N400m for the commencement of the construction of the Ministry Justice’s building, construction of flyover bridge at Tipper Garage, Tanke, llorin; reconstruction of Adeta/Al-Hikmah University road; construction of 33km Megida-Banni road; construction of 87km Baruteen-Kaima road; construction of 6.5km Alapa-Arobadi road.
On social programmes, AA’s government constructed the Innovation Hub for the use of Technopreneurs, students and researchers; introduction of Kwarapreneurs loan programmes(Social Investment Programmes, SIP’s) to uplift social life. In education, Gov AbdulRahman’s government has constructed over 600 blocks of classrooms through Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KWASUBEB) in the 16 local governments education authority in the State; renovation of hundreds of classrooms so as to ensure conducive learning environment; 300 teachers were trained in vocational skills so as to compliment capacity building; 2,701 personnel were recruited and those who were long overdue for promotion amongst the teachers were promoted; arrears and other emoluments of teaching and non-teaching staff for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 were paid across the 16 LGEAs and SUBEB headquarters; 2480 teachers were trained for effective classroom management; 331 Head Teachers were trained on the roles of effective leadership; e-monitoring of the project officers:- sixty-one 2 blocks of classrooms, sixty-four 2 blocks of classrooms totalling 241, and rehabilitation of 1,335 classrooms embarked upon in all the 16 LGEAs; 1,859 teachers were trained under the Initiative Training on “Understanding the Pedagogy of Teaching and Learning.”
Under AA’s government, Kwara State Polytechnic has witnessed tremendous infrastructure development, academic expansion, improvement in staff welfare, advancement in teaching and learning through adoption of Information and Communication Technology(ICT), as well as Advanced Skill and Entrepreneural trainings; millions of naira released for accreditation in line with the National Board of Technical Education(NBTE) requirements and standards for the continuation of some academic programmes; accreditation for Higher National Diploma for Mass Communication Department; establishment of campus radio codenamed Kwara Poly radio with frequency modulation of 88.5fm; completion of a multipurpose auditorium project which was awarded by the government of late Admiral Muhammad Alabi Lawal. The 2000-capacity auditorium was completed and furnished with modern facilities by the AbdulRahman administration after the reckless abandonment by two successive administrations in the state. The government has also done well in the areas of security, health and agriculture. Kwara being the State of Harmony has further been redefined as the population influx to the state keeps increasing because of the peaceful coexistence among the people of different tribes, cultures and religions.
- Giwa, a media and legal consultant, writes in from llorin.
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