50th anniversary: Kwara needs N215b to bridge infrastructural gap

Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed of Kwara state has said that the state needs a total sum of N215 billion to develop its infrastructures in parts of the state.

Speaking at a public lecture on the 50th anniversary of the state in Ilorin on Monday, Governor Ahmed who admitted that the journey had not been easy with the level of turnover of governors and development in 50 years of its existence, said that all stakeholders must sit down to channel way for greater development.

He however said that the state had cause yo celebrate the Golden Anniversary.

“Over the years right attention has not been given to infrastructure in the country. N215 billion is required for infrastructures in Kwara and we have been picking the ones that are doable with the limited resources available.

“For instance, cost of piping gas to Kwara state from Lagos is astronomical which is not doable for the state but by the federal government, no coal in Kwara while water in Kainji is down. Our only option is the solar which was why we introduced light up Kwara projects and by the grace of God we will replicate it all over the state.

“There must be a shared vision. We should remember that we have history which reflected in the way and manner we have gone through our development. It is time for celebration and reflection and anything that is not done well in the past, we should find ways of doing it and also understand that governance is an inclusive process which include input of everybody that draws from the resources,” Ahmed said.

The governor also said that all stakeholders must recognise the deficit the state was suffering in the low human capacity development to drive insfratrutural development, adding that days of government supporting everyone was gradually reducing especially with increasing rate of population.

According to the governor, “we need to improve on management of human and material resources. Kwara has made the enviroment conducive for human capital development and we will improvement on our infrastructure. It is time to come together for better and greater Kwara.”

Speakers at the 50th anniversary public lecture organised by the Kwara state government have said that process of government has to be inclusive for the state to reach greater heights in its level of development and growth.

The various speakers who included Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, the UNDP country director, southern Sudan, Professor Kamil Kayode Kamaldeen, and two university dons, said that more attention should be given to infrastructural development by both state and federal governments in areas of construction and maintenance of existing ones.

Delivering his lecture titled, Governance and Development in Kwara State: The Past, Present and Future, the UNDP country director, southern Sudan, Professor Kamil Kayode Kamaldeen, harped on key factors needed for a greater Kwara state, namely vision, strategic choices to make better and secured future as well as institutions with support roles to play in development.

Professor Kamaldeen also said that inclusion of generality of people was essential to drive development goals, adding that resilience of the people at sustaining peace and harmony in the state would take it to promised land.

He also advocated for new institutions that could answer new questions, while he commended the state government on revenue generation drive and tax for regeneration and response to challenges of the day.

The UNDP boss called on civil servants to change their attitude to public service, adding that they should re-prioritise to promote better service.