Town Hall: Governor AbdulRazaq deserves second term, Monarchs, Kwara south elders

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq deserves another term of four years based on his great achievements, traditional rulers, statesmen, and union leaders said on Thursday.

They were speaking at a town hall meeting in Oro during which they took turns to acknowledge specific projects of the administration in their areas and the effects of its various programmes on the people.

Attended majorly by thousands of people from Irepodun and Isin local government areas, including monarchs and statesmen, the town hall meeting was the second in the series of what is a solo campaign and accountability platform for the administration. The first had been held in Offa for residents of Oyun and Offa local government, setting the ground for top administration officials and the Governor to tell its success stories, take feedback, and seek votes from the electorate.

Governor AbdulRazaq led the government team, joined by Senator Lola Ashiru; House of Representatives member Raheem Olawuyi (Ajulo-Opin); House of Assembly members; cabinet members; heads of agencies; and APC chieftains and elders led by Chairman Prince Sunday Fagbemi.

The Governor again touted the achievements of the administration, acknowledged the support of the people, and pledged to work on various request of the communities.

“We are gathered today to assess where we are coming from, where we are, and where we are going. You can judge this government by what we have done, what we are doing, and a fair judgement can only be achieved when we compare the present with the past. This is a progressive government. We have done so much; we are going to do more in terms of investments, job creation; youth empowerment; and gender equity,” the Governor said.

Senator Ashiru and Rep Olawuyi said the strides of the APC administration are clear to the blind, with different projects spread across every part of the state.

“We have heard about and we have equally seen numerous achievements of His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq in Kwara South and I am very happy with this. I have to thank the Governor for his developmental strides. On behalf of all the traditional rulers in the entire Kwara South, we are very grateful to His Excellency,” according to the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu.

“May God continue to be with you. May God continue to make things easy for you. I want to plead with everyone to reward the Governor for his hard work and commitment.”

Prince Olajide Titiloye, who spoke on behalf of the Oloro of Oro Kingdom, spoke of the Governor’s administration in superlative terms, asserting that the ancient town has not had it so good since 1979.

Prince Titiloye is also the chairman of the home branch of the Oro Descendants Union (ODU).

“On behalf of the Oloro of Oro Oba Abdulrafiu Ajiboye Oyelaran I want to thank Your Excellency for this initiative. We thank you for uncommon development you have brought to our community. You have done what we could not get since 1979 political era. We are grateful for numerous projects you have done in our community. For instance, the government carried out comprehensive renovation of Oro Grammar School. It is a great deal for us. You have given the school a face-lift. As a politician during UPN era, you have done what we could not get since then, even with other Governors of the state. With everything in Oro Grammar School now, it is as if it is a small university.

“The General Hospital in Oro is under a very serious renovation now. We appreciate you sir. Likewise, the road that links Nitel/Okerimi junction has been tarred by this government. The road was not passable before.”

Titiloye said the community meanwhile requested the administration to convert the College of Education Oro to a university or lead the efforts for the federal government to make it a federal College of Education.

“The administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq created Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) to reduce poverty in the state. Under the scheme with four components aimed at graduating Kwara indigenes from poverty to prosperity by investing in the people through direct support and capacity building, we have seen a lot in our community.”

Chief Sunday Ibitoye, who spoke for Egbe Omo Ibile Igbomina, requested AbdulRazaq to reinstate the stool of Oluganna of Ganna, adding however that the Governor has brought so much development to the state. He also commended the Governor for his humility and live-and-let-live attitude to politics.

Sarkin Kara of Ajase Market Sheu Garba requested AbdulRazaq to help renovate the market and provide them with motorised borehole.

Chief Imam of Pamo Isin, Imam Abdulkareem Abdulganiyu, urged the administration to help with religious studies teachers in schools across Kwara South.

Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for Isin LG, Reverend Ade Aremu, advised the government to remain focused in its efforts to improve the people’s welfare, and ensure equitable distribution of wealth to all categories of the citizens.

The Government team took turns to state the specifics of what the administration has achieved across sectors, including education, healthcare, road infrastructure, social investment, revenue generation and allocation, as well as the plan to move Kwara up the ladder of economic growth in Nigeria.

Finance Commissioner Olasumbo Florence said Kwara is on a sure footing today than it ever was in 2019, adding that its fiscal sustainability rating has grown positively over the last three years.

“For instance, our ranking nationally was 20th in 2018, 19th in 2019, 12th in 2020, 10th in 2021, and 8th in 2022,” she said, adding that Kwara has not borrowed to pay salary since 2019 despite some financial shocks along the line.

Works and Transport Commissioner Rotimi Suleiman Iliasu said the government has constructed many roads across the state, including in Irepodun and Isin, while dozens are to be done under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).

Health Commissioner Dr Raji Razaq also gave details of the administration’s health projects in the area and across Kwara State, adding the government has achieved many firsts in the health sector — such as first-of-its-kind new equipment and initiatives.

SUBEB chairman Prof. Sheu Raheem Adaramaja said the administration’s investments and commitment to better school outcomes for the children are glaring to all — mentioning individual school projects and initiatives across every part of Kwara.

KWASSIP chief AbdulQuowy Olododo said all parts of the state have benefited from the safety programmes of the administration, adding that the initiative, among other things, has brought down the poverty index of Kwara State from 30.2 in 2019 to 20.4, far above the national average, citing the World Bank State-by-State poverty index released in August 2022.

 

Rafiu Ajakaye
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
20th October, 2022