Kwara set to review laws

GOVERNOR Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has hinted that the state will soon commence the process of reviewing its laws to meet with current realities, as the last law review was carried out in 2006.

Speaking while receiving Forum of APC’s former members of the state House of Assembly in Ilorin, on Monday, the governor also promised that contractors handling the ongoing Ilorin metropolis water project, would soon be mobilised to site.

Governor Ahmed, who said the state government was now financially stable to jump-start its major infrastructural projects, added that it was determined to fulfil its obligations to workers in the state.

“The major areas where we have constraints are some higher institutions of learning as a result of ongoing efforts at reforming how their incomes are appropriated,” he said.

Governor Ahmed, who said the delay in announcing necessary appointments and constituting boards of parastatals and commissions was mainly a function of current economic challenges, assured that another set of appointments would soon be announced.

Also speaking, Honourable Wole Oke, who spoke on behalf of former honourable members, acknowledged Governor Ahmed “administration’s efforts to sustain regular payments of salaries to state workers and pensioners despite financial constraints facing your administration, and happy that you are one of the three governors designated by the NLC as labour friendly governors.”

On diversification of the state’s economy, the forum recommended that the administration should synergise with local government councils in the state towards mobilising the people across board to engage in massive commercial agriculture through cooperative groups.

While commending the governor’s foresight in re-energising the process and methods of tax collection in the state, the forum called for repositioning of various tourist centres in the state, through a public private partnership as one of the many alternatives to the dwindling federal allocation.

The forum called for establishment of a department of tourism at the Kwara State University to help “proper intellectual background to boost potentials in these untapped areas.”