How Governor Ahmed Is Touching Every Stratum of Kwara
When Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed of Kwara State assumed in 2011, he had many ideas and lofty innovations geared towards creating better life for the citizenry as well as uplift the state to greater heights.
The sixth executive Governor of harmony state summarized his plans for greater Kwara into the policies document tagged Shared Prosperity Agenda. The agenda was not just ordinary cliché or slogan but a sincere commitment to fulfill his social contract with electorates across the state who elected him. The deal is for every kwaran, community, home and stratum irrespective of their creed, religion, social status, location and political affiliation to feel the impact of government.
Therefore, Governor Ahmed in the last eight years has implemented programmes and projects to improve the wellbeing of kwarans by laying foundation for steady progress of the state.
However, contrary to assertion of some fifth columnists that the outgoing governor of Kwara is running an elitist friendly government, evidences show every kwaran is feeling the impact of his administration.
To start with, the governor upon assumption of fast track the completion of all ongoing projects including roads, bridges, classrooms and others scattered across the state. This earned him accolade of ‘Governor without abandoned projects’.
Furthermore, Governor Ahmed led administration within eight years has injected billions of naira to construct hundreds of roads, built bridges to connect communities, provide infrastructures in schools to enhance standard of education, renovated and equipped hospitals in order to provide quality healthcare services and enhance living standards.
Apart from that, the incumbent administration has committed N500million for community development projects in towns and villages based on priority needs such as provision of potable water supply, electrification, road rehabilitation, community halls, construction of health centres and schools among others. Some of these projects have attracted commendation from World Bank and other international organizations.
Similarly, the agricultural sector has been improved inline with economy diversification of federal government with introduction of farm estates in the three senatorial districts, thousands of commercial/small farmers are benefiting from Off-takers Demand Driven Agriculture scheme (OODA) formulated to drive employment, boost food production and link farmers with Off-Takers, the state government is also subsiding fertilizers as well as facilitate low interest loan for farmers.
Likewise, Governor Ahmed’s administration has empowered over 60,000 entrepreneurs through the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) loan scheme with injection of N3.4b. Without doubt, the SME scheme has reduced unemployment, tamed youth restiveness and boosted the state’s economy.
Also, the establishment of Harmony Holding Limited led to revival of some Kwara state owned moribund companies such as Cashew Processing Company, Kwara Express e.t.c.
Besides, the governor is creating conducive environment for business thrive, thereby attracting new companies which have provided jobs for kwarans, expands state’s economy and increased internally generated revenue of the state.
Additionally, Governor Ahmed who is the Chief Security Officer has turned Kwara to safe haven for people to live through providing logistics support for security agencies. It’s noteworthy that installation of streetlights under Light-up-Kwara has immense contribution to public safety, especially in the night.
In conclusion, one can’t exhaust list of how Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed is touching lives of Kwarans positively despite the economy challenges facing Nigeria, but his numerous achievements would always be reference in history of modern Kwara.