Date: 2019-09-06

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said on Thursday his administration will spend N14 billion on infrastructural deficits in primary schools

He added that the state would access N7 billion from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the state’s counterpart fund will also be N7 billion.

AbdulRazaq said no fewer than 1000 traders, market men and women and artisans will benefit from N1 billion soft loans to run their businesses under the Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) under consideration by the House of Assembly.

AbdulRazaq, who spoke to reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, at a breakfast meeting, added that the focus of his administration centres around human capital and infrastructural development, which would attract investments, combat poverty and take Kwara to the top of the table of revenue generation and competitiveness.

AbdulRazaq lamented that his administration inherited from his predecessor a culture of government officials selling off public properties to themselves at ridiculous prices, insisting the administration is disappointed at mindless mismanagement of public resources and would take steps to redress the excesses.

He listed his major landmarks as include fixing the perennial water crisis within Ilorin metropolis, taking Kwara out of its pariah status as the least performing state in UBEC ranking, getting contractors back to work to complete abandoned or uncompleted projects, paying counterpart funds that have changed the story of the state in health and education sector, paying years of arrears owed Colleges of education, and reaccreditation of the state's tertiary institutions, among others.

AbdulRazaq said his administration has done these without touching the N4.8 billion it inherited from the previous government, saying the fund is reserved to kick-start the state's social security programme and putting basic infrastructure in place.

Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; Secretary to the Government Prof. Mamman Sabah Jibril; Chief of Staff to the Governor Aminu Adisa Logun; Head of Service Mrs. Susan Modupe Oluwole; and All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Bashiru Bolarinwa.

AbdulRazaq also said Kwarans should expect something concrete on cabinet formation from next week, saying the delay had been due to wide consultations with all stakeholders within the ruling party and dismissing claims of rancour within its ranks.