Kwara: As battle rages between APC, opposition

MEMBERS of the leading opposing political parties in Kwara state have often blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government for perceived low level performance in the state, just as the ruling party has said that it has modestly fulfilled all campaign promises as earlier spelt out seven years ago.

The ruling APC government of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, started his administration under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2011 before joining the APC in 2015 together with some other governors in the new PDP.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who has based his administration on continuity agenda, popularly known as Legacy Continued Policy, embarked on execution of all uncompleted projects of his predecessor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, now the Senate President.

The governor said that some of the inherited projects that have been completed include Ganmo/Afon road, Gambari road, Ilorin, International Aviation College, Harmony Advanced Diagnostics Centre, and Lafiagi township road, among others, adding that some other new ones were also introduced.

However, the opposing political parties, particularly, the PDP through its radio programmes, has said that the attainable level of development in the state has not been commensurate with federal allocation so far received by the state government since 2011.

This, the governor explained, saying that his administration could have done more but for financial constraints, adding that the monthly allocation was not sufficient for human capital development and infrastructural needs of the state.

He also said that improved internally generated revenue (IGR) has helped to boost infrastructural provisions in the state, adding that the internal revenue reform carried out by his administration had enhanced the capacity of the state government to meet its recurrent obligations and implement capital projects.

Governor Ahmed said that the reform which led to establishment of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS), saw a change in the people, process and technology for revenue collection and management in the state.

He disclosed that this has led to the increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State from N7billion in 2015 to N17billion in 2016.

Governor Ahmed explained that with an improved IGR and in a bid to sustain infrastructural development of the state, he launched the Kwara Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K), which has enabled the government to sustainably implement infrastructure without reliance on federal allocation.

The governor, who said that his government had in the last seven years made considerable investment in human capital development, noted that the health, education and informal sectors had received various interventions.

In the education sector, he pointed at renovation of 400 blocks of classrooms, reduction of tuition fee by 30 per cent at the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete and establishment of KWASU school of Engineering as well as the establishment of International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurial College, Ajase-Ipo.

The APC government also enumerated some of its achievements in the health sector to include the remodeling of five general hospitals in Ilorin, Offa, Omu-Aran, Share and Kaiama, distribution of drugs to basic health centres, remodeling of 50 primary healthcare centers, and provision of accessible and affordable health care through expanded Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS).

He added that his government also partnered with Life Empowered Anchors Hope LEAH Foundation of the First Lady of the state, to conduct free breast and cervical screening for 4,000 female civil servants across the state.

The governor further noted that his government also injected over N3.2 billion into Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and other incentives to support the informal sector.

The APC governor said that despite lean resources, his administration had modestly fulfilled its campaign promises to the people, however, said that he would have loved to do more.

He said that he ran for office on a platform of ‘continuity’ and that in line with this, his government had completed all the projects inherited from the previous administration.

The governor explained that if he had chosen not to complete the inherited projects but had started with his administration’s own projects, huge resources would have been wasted thus denying citizens of the state benefits of the projects.