I won’t share govt’s money to please anybody in Kwara ― AbdulRazaq

TRACKING___By Demola Akinyemi – Ilorin
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State has hits back at members of his party who criticised him for not sharing government’s money to them like previous administrations insisting that he would rather continue to share projects across the nooks and cranny of the state.

The governor while briefing journalists at the Government House, Ilorin on his administration’s achievements in the last one year also said that his government inherited moribund sectors and a state with huge water scarcity, unfunded education system, uncompleted and abandoned projects, moribund health care system, agriculture and infrastructure.

The governor said, on clamour for sharing government’s money, “Our people have been complaining that we are not sharing government’s money since we came and I’m not going to do that.

“I will rather continue to share projects to every part of the state like I’m doing. It was the past administration’s penchant for sharing money that put them into trouble in the last year’s general elections.”

As part of measures to ensure the spread of development to every part of the state, AbdulRazaq said that his administration would soon roll out new state master plans in economy, energy, and agricultural sectors.

He recalled that when he took over one year ago, that the state was below zero levels saying “Everything was moribund when we came in, the education system and other sectors was in disarray”

He explained that the situation in the education sector of the state was worsened because previous administrations did not invest in it and other sectors.

He said in the last one year his administration has revamped the state education sector and Kwara has become one of the best four states in health care delivery because of its approach and handling of the COVID 19 issue.

“We have renovated over 1,000 schools across the 16 local government areas of the state, distributed books, paid students WAEC fees and renovate and equip our health facilities for sustainable health delivery”, the governor said.

He said “N8bn was pilled up in UBEB waiting for Kwara to pick up but because no investment had been made on education in the state for many years students, pupils were just sitting in classrooms looking at the blackboards without exercise books.

“We realized there are challenges we need to catch up with because there are no chairs, laboratories and furniture’s in our schools and ghost workers in the sector was also a major challenge. WAEC had to fine us N20m because our teachers colluded with students,.All these challenges we have been able to overcome” he said.

He also explained that though previous administrations in the state had spent heavily on water project there was a scarcity of water in the state.

He said “A lot was invested during late Lawal administration but not much was achieved. Igbaja, Oyun and other waterworks are now working but not like we want. We expand on what we met but we must work on our own plan to achieve sustainable water supply in Kwara State”.

AbdulRazaq also assured the workers in the state of his commitment to implementing the N30,000 minimum wage, adding that ” my concern, however, is how the local governments would be able to implement the new wage for their workers. “.

He praised President Muhammadu Buhari for granting the state legislature and judiciary autonomy, saying that the development would relieve states of a huge burden.

He added that 35 roads across the state were under reconstruction while five waterworks had been rehabilitated and are now supplying residents with water.

He also disclosed that arrangements were on top gear to revamp the three state-owned media outfits- The Herald, Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation (Radio Kwara), and Kwara State Television Service (KWTV).

The governor also hinted about the plan for downward review of the 2020 budget from N 160 billion to N120 billion, due to plummeting prices of crude oil in the global market which has led to shortfall in the federation allocations to states.

AbdulRazaq who thanked the people of the state for their support thus far assured them that his administration would not renege on its promise to make Kwara work again and leave it better than he met it.