It’s no news that Kwara state is one of the earliest states in Nigeria alongside Lagos, Kano, Rivers amongst a few others.
Sadly, the elderly figure of Kwara State in comparison to her contemporaries can only be acclaimed by the book and not in reality, as state had been managed by swindlers, vultures and opportunists for way too long.
Just as Kano state is majorly known for the production of textiles, Kwara is as well known for the production of Sugar, matches, amongst others during the heydays of this blessed state.
Below are some of the companies that put Kwara on the list of industrial focused State in the past.
1. Nigeria sugar company (NISUCO) Bacita.
2. Jebba Paper Mill.
3. Tate and Lyle Sugar Company Ilorin.
4. Matcho Matches Manufacturing Company Ilorin.
5. United Match Company.
6. Resinoplast Plastic Industry.
7. Phamatech Nigeria Limited.
8. Kwara Animal Feed Mall.
9. Kwara Furniture Company.
10. Kwara Breweries, Ijagbo.
11. Patigi Rice Mill.
12. Kwara Paper Converters LTD amongst others.
Meanwhile, findings by Pilot Business revealed that no fewer than 25 industries in the state had gone under within the past 30 years.
It’s such a great act of treachery by past regimes as well as the then self proclaimed godfather(s) to have portrayed Kwara as a destitute State, getting citizens carried away by their claim as they kept siphoning the state’s treasury for decades with impunity.
GOVERNOR ABDULRAHMAN’S UNMATCHED LEGACY THAT DEBUNKED KWARA AS DESTITUTE.
Barely 4 years of being sworn in as the executive Governor of Kwara state, below are the milestone achievements.
INFRASTRUCTURAL AMMENITIES
WATER: Abdulrahman, known as a man who cares so much about the need for the provisions of basic amenities, knows the prolonged suffering Kwarans had been subjected to, as well as the need to put an end to the menace of edible water scarcity as one of the very first intensive and extensive project that is massively looked into.
Before the advent of Adbulrahman as the executive Governor of the State, no youth between the age of 25-30 years in the State can openly claim they’d enjoy pipe borne water during their teenage years. What an incomplete experience to have as a growing Kwara teenager.
Furthermore, there are no LGAs left untouched in a way or the other out of the 16 LGA’s in the State, as the quest to providing edible water to Kwarans becomes Abdulrahman’s administration first achieved goal.
In total, Abdulrahman led administration had completed a total of 11 water works and 57 motorised boreholes in 3 years, as well as consideration being given to fulani communities across the state with 17 boreholes sunk in thier communities.
DO YOU KNOW?
Governor Abdulrahman’s led administration did not only provide edible water to her citizens, thousands of jobs were also created at the water sector.
ROAD CONSTRUCTIONS & AMENDEMENTS: Being a business mogul, Abdulrahman knows the importance of good road network linking the rural communities to the urban towards industrialization achievement.
Governor Abdulrahman’s administration had worked on a total of 143 roads as well as maintenance works on over 200 roads in the three senatorial districts in the state within the period.
The 143 roads which are more from the rural settlements are well appreciated by state citizens, investors as well as visitors as it increases the fluency, productivity, accessibility and overall profit made by business personalities attached to this roads and the state in general.
Lest we forget, agriculture is one of the main occupation of Kwarans, making the rural-urban road network easier to access is a thumbs up for the Abdulrahman led administration.
DO YOU KNOW?
The number of roads Constructed and ammended in the span of Abdulrahman’s 3yrs as Kwara State Governor is more than the previous 20yrs (1999 – 2019) of democratic regimes in the state combined together.
CONSTRUCTION OF FLYOVER ON STATE ROAD: The Tunde Idiagbon Flyover along Tanke/Unilorin is one of few projects that seem like an eye-opener to the unsentimental and the unbiased Kwarans, as such mega project is being constructed on the state road instead of the usual federal targeted roads.
Let’s recall that the two initial mega flyovers in the Ilorin metropolis are Post Office and the GerinAlimi underpass respectively, where the former was commissioned during the stint of Senator Bukola Saraki (2003 – 2011) as the state Governor and the latter by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed (2011 – 2019), all spanning through 16years.
let’s not forget that the afformentioned flyovers were both situated along federal roads, thereby making it deliberate targeted projects meant to be refunded back to the state by the Federal Government as stated in the Constitution.
Unlike Abdulrahman’s regime which major focus lies in projecting of only necessary infrastructures where it’s most needed for the sole purpose of service to the state.
Meanwhile, the GerinAlimi underpass that is barely 4yrs of being commissioned by the previous regime is presently in a terrible condition, obviously due to the substandard and low quality materials used.
Governor Abdulrahman knowing fully well that the underpass expenditures as claimed by the previous administration had been refunded by the Federal Government before his emergence as the State Governor, saw the need to commence thorough renovation on the said underpass without being political about it.
The #2.4b ongoing project which is set to be commissioned earlier this year will be named after the late General Tunde Idiagbon in honour of his memory and contributions to the state and national development.
DO YOU KNOW?: For over 3 decades, only Abdulrahaman led administration had constructed mega flyover along state road with state funds, yet keeping salary payment in clean sheet.
INDUSTRIALIZATION & EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
It is a known fact that the executive Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is a successful business tycoon who already had massive success long before his involvement in politics.
Industrialization wouldn’t be a big task for a business mogul, a visionary and a proactive leader of Abdulrahman’s caliber. Despite inheriting a sickened economy from his predecessors.
KWARA GARMENT FACTORY: For over 3 decades, Kwara textile situated in Ilorin the state capital had stopped functioning as it’s been converted to a commercial hall.
The advent of Adbulrahaman as the State Governor is gradually bringing back to the State her heritage, pride and confidence just as it use to. KWARA GARMENT FACTORY, an industrial innovation by the Abdulrahman led administration will commence production in the first quarter of 2023 with an average of 2000 direct employees to kick-start with.
DO YOU KNOW?
Abdulrahman led administration had reduced the ratio of poverty in Kwara by 9.8%.
ILORIN INNOVATION HUB: Governor Abdulrahman being a man who understands what ICT literacy can do to a Nation’s economy and overall development did not hesitate to make proactive plans for Kwara youths.
The Ilorin Innovation Hub is an ICT training and incubation centre established to transform Kwara State into an economically viable and self-sustainable state via digital literacy, youth empowerment, innovation and technology. It is one of several efforts by the administration of His Excellency Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq to drive adoption of technology across Kwara state accompanied with diverse job opportunities, which will in turn drive economic development locally, nationally and internationally.
CONSTRUCTION OF WORLD CLASS FILM FACTORY VILLAGE: Only an alien will be unaware of how global the movie and entertainment industry at large is growing, with massive partnership and endorsements by investors.
It takes a visionary and a proactive business tycoon to come up with such a genius concept that will sure increase the state’s popularity, tourist attraction, population and most importantly the state’s IGR.
DO YOU KNOW?
Abdulrahman had commence the payment of the federal government minimum wage directive of #30,000 in a state that was previously proclaimed destitute.
TRADERS GRANT (OWO ISOWO): Like the saying “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”
It’s not impossible for Abdulrahman led administration to situate a building where cooked food are being shared to Kwarans weekly or monthly for public stunt and appraisal as the previous regimes had been doing all along. Governor Abdulrahman on the other hand prefer to teach Kwarans how to be self-reliant and not become beggars at the mercy of politicians or any political figure.
Abdulrahman approved the sum of #200m to empower artisans throughout the 16 LGA’s in the State.
A portal created, where members of the artisans are to apply for the grant.
Furthermore, petty traders are not left out as they are being supported with the sum of #5000 and #10,000 respectively with no interest and a better chance of getting double of the former grant if well managed and refunded back in time.
DO YOU KNOW?
Kwara state is on the list of Nigeria’s top 10 poorest states before the emergence of Abdulrahman as the State Governor in 2019.
KWARA STATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMME (KWASIP)
The Kwara State Social Investment Programmes were created to impact value and bring economic and social development to the people of Kwara through capacity building, Investment and direct support to Improve the living conditions of households of the poor and vulnerable with access to targeted funds, Reduce rate of youth unemployment, eradicate malnutrition in school age children by partnering with the FG’s school feeding programme, promote access to financial services and increase rate of financial inclusion, stimulate Productivity and growth, especially in our rural communities through investment in Agriculture and rural businesses.
DO YOU KNOW?
Abdulrahman led administration in partnership with Kia Africa Group Limited are on the verge of reviving the Bacita sugar factory come 2023 which is capable of employing an average of 20,000 Citizens.
INTRODUCING KWARA ENTREPRENEUR SUPPORT PROGRAM (KWAPRENEUR)
Kwapreneur seeks to support the advancement of 300 Kwara-based MSMEs through a 2 weeks capacity building, coaching and advisory workshop designed to equip businesses with the right skills and support to significantly improve their financial and operational outcomes.
This programme will further support the selected 300 MSMEs after the completion of the training, with interest free loans from the Kwara State Government for Kwara-based businesses Only.
DO YOU KNOW?
Abdulrahman led administration is currently holding the record of the administration with most women and youth in cabinet.
COME 2023 ELECTION, IT IS LEFT FOR US AS KWARANS TO DECIDE OUR FATE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN AN INDUSTRIALIST, PHILANTHROPIST & A HUMANITARIAN WHOSE KEEN INTEREST IS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW INDUSTRIES & REVIVING OF THE OLD ONES OR THE SAME CALIBERS WHO PORTRAYED KWARA AS DESTITUTE IN THE QUEST TO ENRICHING THEMSELVES.