I woke up to the above-titled but ignorant piece circulated social on media. While the article dwelt on what the writer considered as Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s accomplishment as a two-term Governor of Kwara State, it struggled to convince that Saraki’s successor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed underperformed. Predictably, the piece recycled a fringe view whose promoters hustle to blame ex-Governor Ahmed for his party, PDP’s defeat in the 2019 elections. Yet the previous administration’s publications undermine the mischievous attempt to blame Ahmed for the PDP’s electoral woes and downplay his strides as Governor.
As most Kwarans know, local political intrigues, especially the electorate’s quest for change, rather than poor governance, triggered the election’s outcome. Also, contrary to the writer’s claim, I believe Ahmed performed well as the governor of Kwara State between 2011-2019. Here are a few reasons.
GERI-ALIMI DIAMOND UNDERPASS
Standing as the Maigida administration’s signature infrastructure, the Geri Alimi Split Diamond Underpass transformed Ilorin metropolis and resolved the gridlock at that entry point into the state. Complete with CCTV, night lights and landscaping, the underpass and overhead bridge are best experienced at night when they transform the area into the spectacle reserved for the most beautiful capitals. The Geri Alimi Diamond Underpass is unique this part of Nigeria and is the first of its kind in Kwara State. It’s a masterpiece; Ahmed’s benefitting goodbye gift to Kwara State. Underperforming governors don’t pull off that scale of infrastructure.
ROADS
Despite its storied lack of resources caused by a global economic downturn, the Ahmed administration did well in the expensive road sector. Maigida’s commissioning of Geri Alimi underpass and over twenty previously completed roads two days to his exit was a good example. The administration’s road projects include the 34-kilometre Share Oke Ode Road, Anilelerin Road, Offa, Arandun-Rore-Ipetu Road, Oloro Township Road, Oke Rimi Road, Oro, Adualere-Isale Koko Road, Ilorin, Offa-Irra Road, Oke-Andi-Obafemi-Taoheed Road, Henry George Roundabout-Agbo-Oba Road, Oniju Street, Babanloma, Erin-Ile Ilemona Road, and Pakata-Sooto Anifowoshe Road. Others are rehabilitation of Stadium Road, Ilorin, Rehabilitation of Ejiba Road, off Stadium Road, Rehabilitation of Umaru Audi-Fate Roundabout-Agric Roundabout to mention a few.
Excluded from this summary are the 234 kilometres of roads inherited from the previous administration but completed by Maigida. I don’t know about you, but these achievements don’t resemble the scorecard of an underperforming administration despite the writer’s laboured lamentation. And that’s just roads.
IVTEC
Commissioning the International Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurial College (IVTEC), Ajase Ipo in 2017, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo invited other state governors to emulate ex-Governor Ahmed and establish similar institutions. IVTEC’s sprawling complex, its array of equipment and the vision, modelled after London’s City and Guilds curriculum spurred VP Osinbajo’s endorsement. Subsequent events will justify the law professor’s approval of IVTEC and establish Kwara State as an emerging hub for vocational skills. Leveraging its pioneering status, IVTEC eventually secured World Bank and FG partnership, graduated more 199 students, trained another batch in solar light installation besides boosting the economy of Irepodun Local Government, where its located.
EDUCATION
Ahmed’s other educational accomplishments are no less stellar. His administration constructed an imposing Engineering complex at the Kwara State University, followed that with its School of Business and Governance in Ilorin and started satellite campuses at Osi and Ilesha Baruba. KWASU’s Osi and Ilesha Baruba campuses, which Ahmed administration started but couldn’t complete, sought to expand access to higher education in the communities besides boosting their economies. The administration had earlier reduced the university’s fees by a third to make university education more affordable to Kwarans. Basic and secondary education also received a boost with the cancellation of school fees and the rehabilitation of schools across the state.
KWIRS
While roads and schools are the staples of Nigerian state governments, reforms are less common. Ahmed’s administration excelled with IGR, SME, Land Administration and Health reforms. Birthed in 2016, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) was the jewel in the administration’s crown, boosting internal revenue by 180 percent within 12 months.
ISO-standard KWIRS won national and global acclaim, making Kwara State one of the most sustainable in its class. Besides creating 700 long-term professional employment for Kwarans, KWIRS funded Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K) which financed major infrastructure from IGR rather than borrowing. Without IF-K, there will be not Geri Alimi Underpass, the State Secretariat 2, and other major infrastructure projects by the Ahmed administration.
LUK
Award-winning Light-Up Kwara (LUK) was another Ahmed administration reform project. LUK is a solar-powered streetlight project, which pioneered the Solar Farm Tunnel technology in Nigeria. Its initial rollout saw the deployment of streetlights across 24 kilometres of roads in Ilorin metropolis, boosted its night economy and enhanced aesthetics. A massive connection of over 400 communities to the national grid with the deployment of electricity transformers preceded LUK.
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
Ahmed’s performance track record also includes boosting creating youth jobs and empowerment. It achieved this through its KWABES and QUICKWIN interventions which provided bridge employment and stipends to 5000 youths with more than a thousand securing permanent civil service positions. Reforms in Small and Medium Enterprises funding led to significant fund injection, benefitting over 60, 000 small businesses, especially youths and women.
HEALTH
In the health sector, the former administration revamped and equipped Ilorin, Offa, Omu-Aran, Share and Kaiama General Hospitals. It also provided 13 other general hospitals in the state, extended the inherited Community Health Insurance scheme from three to eleven local government councils for the benefit of 600, 000 rural dwellers and introduced State-Wide Compulsory Health Insurance.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORMS
Ex-Governor Ahmed created a conducive working atmosphere for State Civil Servants through prompt salaries, regular training, welfare packages such as car loans, construction of a new Land Administration Building and the almost completed State Secretariat Phase 2.
PROJECT CONTINUITY
Ahmed also distinguished himself as a firm believer in governance as a continuum which was the mantra that heralded him into office in 2011. That gesture signalled the former governor as a champion of project continuity. Besides inheriting, funding and completing 234 kilometres of inherited road projects, the administration also part-financed and activated the Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre and International Aviation College (IAC), Ilorin Water Reticulation Project among others. Much of IF-K’s initial spending was on inherited contractor debts. I invite the writer to imagine how much the former administration spent on completing the above mentioned inherited projects, including the Post Office flyover.
PEACEBUILDING
Kwara State enjoyed greater peace, stability and harmony under the former administration through Ahmed’s policy of inclusion and politics of consensus building. This created the environment for fresh investments such as BUA Sugar Factory, Lafiagi, Crown Hill University, etc
SHARE TOWN PROJECTS
Ahmed governed the whole of Kwara State and ensured an even distribution of projects across the state, shunning the clannish ethnic politics that sees some state executives concentrating infrastructure in their homesteads. Notwithstanding, Share his hometown, enjoyed a township road project, a revived water project, an upscaled General Hospital and the celebrated 34-kilometre long Share-Oke Ode Road among others. For me, the writer’s claim that Share community was undeveloped by the Ahmed administration, and the laughable claim that the former failed to perform, exists only in the minds that concocted the tales.
On a final note, I don’t understand the bizarre attempt to hang group failure on Maigida’s head. All I know is that Kwarans and Nigerians know better.
Tajudeen Raheem, writes from Omu-Aran.
