05:34 GMT 8th November 2011
He also aims to build on the 'legacies and harmonious co-existence' in Kwara State nurtured by his predecessor, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in whose administration he served as finance commissioner for six years and commissioner for planning for two years.
In realising his mission, Alhaji Ahmed has used his first 100 days in office to lay the foundation for his administration's development and social programmes for the state. And in line with his campaign promise that there will be no abandoned projects, he has simply continued from where Dr Saraki left off.
Global ambition
True to his mission statement, Ahmed is building on the foundation laid down by Dr Saraki, now a Nigerian senator, the centrepiece of which was the Shonga Farm project. To this end, he has launched a campaign to rebrand the state as a trade and businessfriendly destination both for foreign and domestic investors.
Ahmed points to the series of publicprivate partnership ventures currently in progress as a further recommendation of Kwara as a trade and business hub. 'Our intention is to sell Kwara through a composite approach that reignites our people's sense of pride in their state, while at the same time emphasising our key strengths in terms of our innovative trade, industrial, solid minerals, tourism and investment policies,' he said.
'Furthermore, considering our peaceful atmosphere, efficiency of government business and an evolving regime of solid social and physical infrastructure, K wara is today one ofthe most favourable to private investment in Nigeria. We intend to sell that attribute to the world through branding campaign.'
In order to strengthen the state's foundation as an investment centre, the administration is fast-tracking infrastructural development, enhancing local security and making sure that social and industrial harmony continues to prevail.
Security
Kwara State's boast of being one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria is well founded. Despite this, Ahmed is not being complacent about state security. The government has invested in the installation of c1osecircuit television (CCTV) and provided the police with better equipment to enhance their operations.
This included the donation of 16 Hilux patrol vehicles and bullet-proof clothing. 'We have empowered the police in the state by providing them with patrol vehicles and flak jackets, which are bullet proofed; Tunji Moronfoye, the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, explained. CCTV cameras have also been placed in strategic areas in the state together with the installation of solar-powered street lighting.
Investment incentives
Kwara State has a number of incentives in place for potential investors in the state. These include the provision of land, built infrastructure, loans and tax holidays. According to Moronfoye, the govemment is ready to leverage on its public private partnerships (PPPs) to achieve this. 'What we intend to do is to partner with potential local and foreign investors. When they come, we will also help them to settle down and enjoy our hospitality. It is going to be a one-stop shop where they can get all the necessary things they need,' the Commissioner said.
Electricity
The Ahmed administration is working hard to improve the electricity supply by providing more transformers, Moronfoye said. The administration has so far launched six electricity projects aimed at further boosting the power supply.
Tourism
Kwara State has a number of notable tourist attractions that can help boost the economy. These include Owu Waterfall, Imoleboja Rock Shelter and Patigi Regatta Festival, which are all being upgraded to meet national and international standards. In addition the government is looking for investors to partner with it to revive the sector.
'Because of the revenue profile of the state, this is not something that we can do ourselves and that is why we are looking at bringing in investors. We are already in talks with some of them. We are willing and ready to partner with any foreign investor who wants to do legitimate business in our state,' Moronfoye said.
Aviation
The previous administration established an International Aviation College, which the Ahmed administration is capitalising on. According to Moronfoye, the college, which has received its license to operate, is expected to attract students from different parts of the world, so boosting local finances.
The state is also developing its cargo terminal to facilitate its trade with neighbouring states and countries in the sub-region. 'We are looking to tum Kwara into a business hub in place of Lagos and Kano, from where we can export agricultural products directly. We are expecting to comer all the markets within the sub-region, so that everybody will be exporting from Kwara State, ' Moronfoye continued. The cargo terminal is to be further developed to provide other improved facilities, including the refrigeration of agricultural products.
Inclusive govemment
On assuming office, Governor Ahmed promised to run an inclusive government, which would allow every indigene to participate in his administration. True to his word, he has constituted a broadly representative cabinet and appointed liaison officers to serve as a link between his administration and all the 16 local government areas of the state.
Ahmed has also reached out to the physically challenged ofthe state. In the second week of his administration, he visited the state School for Special Needs in the capital Ilorin to find out how it was coping with the challenges facing the students.
Addressing the school, the governor promised to completely transform it within a year, stressing that it was important for students to receive their education in an atmosphere conducive to learning. To this end, he ordered the immediate renovation of hostels, the administrative block, and the retooling of the school's generating plant. Apart from promoting the idea of inclusiveness, the refurbishment is also in tandem with the administration's emphasis on skills acquisition.
Education
The people of Kwara State came out in force on September 17 to take part in the grand finale of celebrations marking Governor Ahmed's first 100 days in office. The day started at Government House where 16 Hilux pick-up vehicles were donated by the Governor to the education ministry in fulfillment of one his campaign promises.
At the event, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Raji Atolagbe Mohammed, expressed the ministry's appreciation to the Ahmed administration for the way it was helping to lay down a solid educational foundation for every child in the state. Mohammed said the vehicles would help education officials monitor schools and education projects more effectively.
It was lack of close supervision that had been identified as one of the reasons why private schools were believed to be better than the public schools, he explained.
The Ahmed government believes in good quality education as a bedrock for human development and industrial growth. Hence it is leaving no stone unturned to achieve this.
Youth empowerment
The Ahmed administration is equally committed to empowering youths who form the largest part of the state population. The governor believes that youth restiveness results from the idleness that comes from not having a job. As such, the government has established Kwara Bridge Empowerment Scheme (KWABES) with the aim of capturing all unemployed youths on a database.
The scheme has so far provided 2,000 youths drawn from all the 16 local government areas of the state with employment, while others will receive training in various skills. This includes entrepreneurship, which will be followed by government support to establish small and medium scale businesses.
Governor Ahmed has directed that all government programmes be geared towards generating employment for youths in the state. Bolaji Abdullahi, the Federal Minister of Youth Development and an indigene of the state, was making plans to invite the Minister of Agriculture to the state for possible collaboration in enhancing the agricultural sector and provide youth employment.
Infrastructural development
The Ahmed administration places emphasis on building physical infrastructure such as roads to support its tourism, solid mineral sector, primary healthcare, agriculture and youth empowerment programmes so as to fast-track the economic development ofthe state and promote general well-being. Thus, in the first 100 days of the administration, it launched Operation No Potholes in Ilorin that saw teams of maintenance workers repairing pothole-damaged roads. This included the Ganmo-Afon Road, a task he had promised to fulfill in his election campaign.
The Ahmed govemment also aims to make potable water available to the citizens living in about 500m or less radius across the state. In pursuance ofthat policy the state government has sunk 72 motorised and hand-pump boreholes in all the three of Kwara's senatorial districts.
Health
The Ahmed administration is making a determined effort to provide a more effective and efficient health service. The idea is based on the belief that only healthy individuals can contribute meaningfully to the development goals of the state. To this end, the state is providing free eye tests, free prescription eye glasses and free treatment by specialist doctors, to curb the incidence of easily preventable but debilitating conditions.
Other primary health areas are not being neglected. Recently, the Omolewa Safe Motherhood Initiative, named after the state 's First Lady, was launched. The programme is partnering with Hygeia Community Health Plan, the community health insurance scheme which promotes affordable healthcare in rural areas.
The partnership has been established to carry out antenatal care for women, immunisation of the new born and free treatment for children under the age of five. According to the First Lady, 'Omolewa Safe Motherhood Initiative will upgrade and equip maternity units to acceptable World Health Organisation standards.' Through the scheme, the number of skilled attendants will increase and retraining will be ongoing.
The Ahmed administration has already commissioned a number of health centres and hospitals. One of them is Alapa Cottage Hospital, one ofthe centres adopted to facilitate access to affordable but efficient healthcare within rural communities. The government plans to adopt 80 per cent of all primary healthcare centres within its fouryear term.
'Let me assure you that our capacity building and reform agenda is designed to equip all civil servants, including those in the health sector, with the requisite global skills and standards for effective performance. This is in line with our desire to make K wara a first class state,' Ahmed said recently while commissioning a hospital project.
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