Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has pledged to embark on programmes that would better the lives of the residents of border communities in the state, if re-elected. Ahmed, the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate for Kwara, made the pledge on Friday during his campaign tour of Baruten Local Government Area of the state.

The governor blamed the inability of his government to complete some on-going projects in the area on paucity of funds, but urged the people to re-elect him in the April 11 governorship election.

He also implored the people to vote for APC in the presidential and National Assembly election scheduled for March 28. "The people are assured of a better future if APC candidates are elected in the general elections," he said.

Ahmed said that APC recognised Baruten's strategic position in the politics of Kwara, and promised adequate provision of social amenities in the area and urged them to vote massively for the party. In his speech, Dr Bukola Saraki, a former governor and the leader of the party in the state, also canvassed for the votes of the people for APC in the elections.

Saraki said that the dwindling allocation of resources from the centre to the state and its local governments had affected development in the state. He, however, assured the people of more people-oriented programmes if the APC government is returned in Kwara and voted in at the federal level.

In Ilesha-Baruba, the spokesman of the community, Mr Yakub Adam, requested for the construction of a dam in the area, to provide water supply for cattle at the International Cattle Market. Adam also pleaded for the immediate appointment of a new Emir for Ilesha to fill the stool that had been vacant since November 2014.

The community leader also requested for more boreholes in the area as well as construction of rural roads to link the communities. When the governor visited the palace of the Emir of Okuta, Alhai Idris Abubakar, the monarch lauded the Youth Empowerment Programmes of the Ahmed-led administration.

Abubakar said that the Okuta community had benefitted immensely from the government, but urged it to expedite action on the creation of Local Council Development Areas.

The APC campaign train also visited Gwanara, Gure and Yashikira.