One hundred and ninety communities in Kwara state have been provided with portable water supply by the state government under its policy of providing 500 meters access to water across the state.

The State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who made the revelation while speaking at the 2012 convention of the Kwara State Association of Nigerians (KWASANG) in London on Friday, said with the supply of water to these communities, the state government had reduced the accessibility ratio to 1km, down from the 1.5km radius it inherited on assumption of office in 2011.

While expressing a determination to continue to implement people-friendly infrastructural projects despite the state's lean resources, Ahmed assured the gathering of UK-resident Kwarans of his administration's determination to achieve the 500 meter access by next year.

On electricity supply, the governor said 115 communities have benefitted from the government's rural and urban electrification program adding that more communities are slated to benefit from the scheme in line with his determination to ensure 100 per cent electricity coverage across the state.

While calling the attention of the Kwarans to investment opportunities in the Agriculture, Health, Solid Mineral and Power sectors of the state's economy, Governor Ahmed said that with the unbundling of the electricity supply in Nigeria, Kwara presents numerous investment opportunities in the power sector.

Stressing that agriculture is the pivot of the state's economic growth, the governor said the administration had institutionalized the value chain concept in Agriculture and has concluded plans to facilitate the creation of commercial agriculture ventures at 60 sites across the state. 

The state government, he said, was up scaling its education reforms through the introduction of functional education, stressing that construction work on the International Vocational Centre, Ajase Ipo, will commence next month. When completed, said the governor, the Centre will establish Kwara as the hub for vocational skills for youths by providing globally-recognised qualifications such as City & Guilds for youths.

Speaking earlier, Chairperson of KWASANG, Alhaja Afusat Abdulkadir-Ayo, said the convention was initiated to create a forum for UK-resident Kwarans to engage with the government towards making valuable contributions to Kwara's development and benefitting from the state government as part of their efforts to relocate home or otherwise set up business ventures in the state.