Kwara Commissioners Give Account of Stewardship in Five Months 

Members of the Kwara State Executive Council, particularly the commissioners have begun to roll out their achievements in office (Score Cards) of their Ministries in the past five months .

The programme, tagged Quartely  Inter- Ministerial Press Briefing lasted for two days.

The Commissioners had their turns with the State Commissioner for Communications, Mrs Bolanle Olukoju presiding.

In her remarks at the opening session, the State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu reiterated the resolve of the  State Government to continuously support the development of the education sector.

She reassured that the government would  continue to provide necessary infrastructures and welfare for all students in the State.

The Commissioner noted that the State government had embarked on supervision of the construction and renovation of schools to ensure a conducive environment for learning and teaching in the State.

While highlighting government’s giant stride in the education sector, Modibbo-Kawu explained that the government sponsored Placement Examination (Common Entrance) for all Primary 6 pupils and subsidised Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for all JSS 3 students in Public Secondary Schools across the State.

She noted that the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration presented a cash award of #1,000,000 to Master Adesina Shalom, a student of Rehoboth College, Ilorin, who scored distinctions in nine subjects in the year 2023 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The Commissioner also mentioned that the present administration had ensured the prompt release of feeding allowances to exchange students in Government Secondary School, Ilorin; Queen Elizabeth Secondary School, Ilorin; and the Kwara State School for Special Needs, as well as the timely release of the 2024 Academic Calendar.

Kawu explained that the State government also launched the Nigeria Learning Passport ( NLP) programme as part of its efforts to find solutions to learning gaps and increase access to quality education.

The Commissioner added that the government flagged off Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), a project meant to improve secondary education opportunities among girls across the three senatorial districts of the State.

Finance

The state Commissioner for Finance, Dr Hauwa Nuru disclosed that the State Government was committed to the welfare of workers and pensioners as it had ensured prompt and regular payments of salaries and pensions in the State.

She revealed that the state has the lowest debt profile which according to her, was due to the prudent management of the State’s scarce resources .

Dr. Nuru emphasised the commitment and dedication of  Governor AbdulRazaq to addressing workers’ welfare and wellbeing in the State.

She stated that the present administration would be remembered as one of the most worker-friendly governments in the history of the State.

She further stated that over the past four years, Governor  AbdulRazaq has consistently ensured that state workers are provided with the necessary tools and enabling environment to thrive, supported by robust welfare packages.

Still highlighting the government’s efforts, Dr. Nuru reiterated the fact that the administration had consistently paid pensions and ensured prompt payment of workers’ salaries since its inception.

She affirmed the commitment of the State Government to meeting the basic needs of the people, while providing transparent and accountable leadership.

Dr. Nuru also stressed that Kwara State was poised for significant economic growth and development, presenting a unique opportunity to usher in a new era of sustained prosperity for the State.

She also highlighted the success of the Kwara NG-CARES programme, which provided emergency relief to Kwarans most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the less privileged and the vulnerable group in the society. The programme, she said, has been effective and has positively impacted a large number of residents.

Revenue Generation

In addition, she mentioned that the government was investing heavily in infrastructural development to boost revenue generation, create job opportunities, and make the state more attractive for investments.

While giving his own Score Card, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Lade disclosed that the  State government has designed a-30 year water and investment master plan to ensure availability of water to residents of the state.

The master plan, according to him, is in partnership with the African Development Bank (ADB) and would soon be unveiled.

“I’m glad to tell this gathering that our ministry has been able to design 30 years water and investment master plan in partnership with African Development Bank and would be unveiled soon,” he said.

Lade disclosed that 10 smart toilets have been constructed in selected local government areas including Patigi to help curb open defecation.

He said the state government has also provided operational motorcycles to staff of Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA) and Water Corporation for water services to the people of the state.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Dr Afees Alabi, said his ministry has applied for an executive order to strengthen the sector in the state.

He said the government is in partnership with investors, who are expected to massively deploy resources in the exploration of the state natural resources.

Abolore said, “Investors are ready to partner with the state government and invest massively in the exploration of natural resources that state is endowed with. 

“With the right investment, the position of Kwara in solid minerals development will be attained. At the moment, we are engaging 30 mineral operators in the state to ensure that we have data that will guide our operation in the state.

“We are working in conjunction with security agencies to tackle illegal mining in the state, adding that the ministry is  investigating some individuals parading themselves as agents of government by collecting revenue illegally,” he said.

He spoke of the plans of the ministry to encourage women in mining.

The state Commissioner for Communications , Olukoju said the briefing, the second in the series, showed that the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration was committed to transparency and accountability.

Confidence Okwuchi