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Tag: AbdulFatah Ahmed

  • Bailout benefits states with heavy loan burden – Ahmed

    Bailout benefits states with heavy loan burden – Ahmed

    Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, on Thursday said that the expected bailout from federal government has been structured to favour states that have heavy loan burden.

    The governor said the state would not benefit much from the bailout because of its small loan profile.

    Ahmed spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, in a Radio programme called the “Governor Explains.”

    He said the N2.1 billion the state collected was its own share of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) due to federal, states and local government areas.

    The state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party had accused the state government of diverting the funds instead of using it to pay workers’ salaries.

    Ahmed said: “The bailout is for states that have been heavily burdened by loan such that they cannot do much business, but in Kwara, for instance, our loan profile is very small compared to other states. So even when these loans are structured, we will not benefit much from the much-talked about bailout.

    “It is those states that have heavy loans that will benefit because the loans that they should have paid in four years, has suddenly been stretched to 15 years. The federal governmentis taking over the loans from the various banks and institutions that they are owing.

    “Kwara State collected N2.1billion and the local governments collected N1.4billion. The money has gone into the payment of salaries at both levels which of course is not enough.”

     

  • ACPN governorship candidate adopt Ahmed

    ACPN governorship candidate adopt Ahmed

    The governorship candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) in Kwara Tuesday again adopted the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and all APC candidates for House of Assembly seats in the April 11, 2015 general elections.

    Seven parties, under the aegis of Congress of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), had earlier adopted Governor Ahmed as their governorship candidate for the Saturday elections.

    The parties based their decision on the need to be in the mainstream of the nation’s politics.

    The parties involved are Action Alliance (AA), Progressive Peoples’ Alliance (PPA), United Progressives Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Citizen Popular Party (CPP), African Peoples’ Alliance (APA) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    Speaking with reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, the state chairman of ACPN, Mr. Abraham Omotosho, who is also the governorship candidate of the party, expressed the confidence of the party in the capacity and competence of Governor Ahmed to continue to steer the ship of the state in the direction of peace, progress, stability and development.

    Omotosho said the decision was in line with directive of the national executive committee of the party, directing members of the party to vote for and mobilise for the APC to ensure victory for the party on Saturday.

    Said he: “Having done the a review of the policies and achievements of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed-led administration, which is a product of the Saraki political dynasty, we reached the conclusion that the governor has made commendable progress in poverty eradication, peaceful co-existence, youth empowerment, job creation, security of lives and property, infrastructure development, education, and made significant impact in other key sectors of the state economy.

    “We also put into consideration the fact that Saraki dynasty is united under the leadership of Dr. Bukola Saraki. We are particularly happy that the duo of Senator Saraki and Senator Gbemisola Saraki are now united to pursue the progress and development of Kwara state and her people under one political platform. The Saraki political dynasty has stood by Kwarans and for Kwarans for many decades and we are eternally grateful to the dynasty,” the statement said.

    The ACPN chairman, who said the party welcomed the outcome of the March 28 presidential election, added that the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari is a signal of a better tomorrow for Nigerians, and especially for the people of Kwara state.

    He also said that the ACPN, under the late founder, Dr. Olusola Saraki, maintained a cordial beneficial relationship with the government at the centre, “which endeared development and comforting patronage to the state. Our party therefore, having been founded on the principles of our late leader, pivoted on the welfare of Kwarans, is committed to maintaining this stead, even without his physical presence.”

  • Jonathan has impoverished Nigerians, say Ahmed, Saraki, Abdullahi

    Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Senator Bukola Saraki and ex-Sports minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Friday passed a damning verdict on President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    The trio accused the Peoples Democratic Party led government of impoverishing Nigerians.

    They spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State, at presentation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for the 2015 elections in the state.

    Abdullahi said Nigerians are more economically impoverished than six or seven years ago, adding that yet they claimed that “our economy is improving.”

    He said: “When Senator Bukola Saraki was the governor of the state, many of our supporters and members could afford to build houses and buy cars, but these days the text messages we receive border on money to keep body and soul together. They now want us to continue in that our hunger status for another four years. To add insult on injury they say the country’s gross domestic product is increasing, that the Nigeria’s economy is one of the best in Africa.

    “The money that the PDP people are filtering away is what they term GDP. That is none of our business, I urge us all to cast our votes for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in the next month presidential election and Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in the governorship election.

    “In March 2014, when President Goodluck Jonathan came to Ilorin, then I was the minister of sports, they said I should mount the podium at this same metropolitan square and haul abuses at Senator Bukola Saraki. But being a true son of Ilorin, I cannot not bite the finger that feed me, it was the same Saraki that brought me from Lagos and made me a special assistant, from special assistant to special adviser. As if that was not enough, the then governor of Kwara State appointed me as a commissioner and subsequently nominated me for ministerial job.

    “This, our leader has foresight, he told us before our defection from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC that PDP was like a sinking ship. It was then that some people felt they would sit by the driver of sinking ship. The Senator also told us then that PDP is a God forsaken party.”

    Governor Ahmed said that the financial emasculation of the state has hampered infrastructural development.

    “The dwindling allocation from Abuja notwithstanding, the state government has not defaulted in paying workers’ salaries as at and when due. We have not relented in creating jobs for our teeming youths.

    “I urge us all to close rank and sweep PDP-led government away at all levels. The other day, I told you that PDP’s umbrella was already leaking. That is apparent to all of us now,” the governor stated.

    Saraki said,“if the President Jonathan could not control Nigerian economy when one barrel of crude oil was over $100 per barrel, how can he manage the economy when a barrel is about $50?”

    “PDP says that we are abusing Mr. President. We are not abusing Mr. President. We have all the respect for the Presidency, we are talking of facts and figures.  PDP and Mr. President promised Nigerians security is their security today? You promised power, is there light today? You promised to fight corruption, is there any change today? You promised to provide job for all our youths, any job today. These are not present today.  We are not being personal, we are talking about issues.

     

  • Injustice forced Amaechi, Kwankwaso others out of PDP – Mu’azu

    Injustice forced Amaechi, Kwankwaso others out of PDP – Mu’azu

    The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamau Mu’azu, has identified injustice, inequity and unfairness as factors responsible for the defection of five state governors from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and ex- Governor Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) had in November 2013 defected from the PDP to the APC.

    Similarly, a number of prominent party chieftains, including serving senators and members of the House of Representatives also left the PDP for the APC, owing to factors earlier identified by the PDP chairman.

    Mu’azu, who spoke in Abuja at the inauguration of the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to consider the governors’ defection as a challenge ahead of the general election.

    Decrying what he described as politics of use and dump, which according to him, was pervasive in the ruling party, Mu’azu said the trend, if not stemmed, could spell catastrophic consequences for the democratic process.

    He said: “I appeal to President Jonathan to consider it a challenge to discuss with your governors, senators, all elected officials of the PDP that members of the PDP said they should not be used and dumped.

    “Adhere to equity, fairness and justice, substantial membership of the APC, APGA and others are members of our party.

    “A lot of our party members have left because they have been used and dumped. It should not happen again.”

    Also speaking at the event, Jonathan said the performance of his administration would be his selling point during the electioneering campaign and urged his campaign team to be civil in the use of language.

    Reiterating his promise of free, fair and credible elections, the President said 2015 poll marked a critical point in the nation’s history. Apparently referring to his major challenger, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, he challenged his critics to tell Nigerians how many women served in their administration.

    The President said: “I am not campaigning to you, I have no doubt you are already familiar with the achievements of this administration.

    “We will see those who said they would form a parallel government. Do not join them in violence, every Nigerian is free to campaign in every part of Nigeria.”

     

  • Kwara committee on LCDA creation gets 96 memoranda

    The Kwara State Committee on the creation of Local Government Council Development Authorities (LCDAs) yesterday said it has received 96 memoranda from communities and groups.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, last October, set up the 14-member committee for the creation of LCDAs.

    Its terms of reference included identifying the basic parameters, contingency for the creation of council development areas, identifying suitable communities as headquarters, taking due cognisance of precedence in administrative responsibility in arriving at the choice and consider other relevant factors that would ensure uniformity, equity, fairness and greater sense of belonging.

    The committee’s Chairman Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje told reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, that the memoranda and suggestions were from various communities in the 16 local government areas of the state.

    He added that the committee’s members had visited some states that had carried out similar exercise in the past.

  • Pay your N4b debt to us, Ahmed tells Fed Govt

    Pay your N4b debt to us, Ahmed tells Fed Govt

    •Kwara to establish IPP in 2015

    The Kwara State Government has urged the Federal Government to refund N4 billion the outstanding debt it is owing the state for its intervention on Federal road projects.

    The state also rued the drop on the Federal allocations to the tiers of government in the country.

    It noted that the development was having a debilitating effect on the running of government.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede said: “The State Executive Council (Exco) also called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, refund all the money owed the state government from the implementation of federal projects.

    “The council also noted the drop in the federal allocations to all tiers of government and emphasised the need for the Federal Government to release N4 billion outstanding from the state government’s intervention in Ilesa Baruba-Kosubosu Road, Baruten Local Government Area, by the previous administration so that this money can be devolved towards other pressing projects for the benefit of the people of the state.”

    Dr Akorede added that the council also approved the establishment of Kwara State Agency for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises to manage the funds provided by the state government.

    He said: “The agency, when established, will also run the N750 million micro-credit for which over 48,000 businesses have benefitted already, including the N2 billion the state government recently accessed from the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    “The governor also emphasiSed the need to promote youth empowerment through entrepreneurship so that youths in the state will have the required training and mindset to engage themselves and others.

    “The major decision of the council was the approval for the establishment of a body to run small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in the state. You will recall that the state government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)         with the CBN to access N2 billion from the N320 billion Micro Small Medium Enterprises Development Funds (MSMEDF), which was launched by the by bank.

    “Sequel to that development, there is need for the establishment of an agency to serve as the special vehicle for the effective participation of the state in the programme became imperative.”

    The government promised to establish an Independent Power Project (IPP) next year in the northern part of the state.

    Ahmed spoke at the launch of the rehabilitation work on the 32.8 kilometre Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara Road in Baruten Local Government Area.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, the governor said the power plant would generate 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity and “power industrial clusters and essential services, thus freeing up energy for homes and businesses in a manner that enhances the welfare of our people and stimulates job creation”.

    On the Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara Road project, he said it would cost about N1.5 billion, adding that the project would subsequently be extended to Kenu and Okuta to cover that flank of the local government.

    Ahmed said the state was taking advantage of the dry season to grade about 500 kilometres of roads throughout the state, including the Ilesha-Baruba-Gbereberu and the Bode More roads in Baruten Local Government.

     

  • Ahmed: PDP lacks people to take Kwara to Promised Land

    Ahmed: PDP lacks people to take Kwara to Promised Land

    wara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said yesterday the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked the wherewithal to take the state to the Promised Land.

    The governor said the PDP posed no threat to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, adding that the opposition lacked the experience, capacity and calibre of people to elevate Kwara and its people to greater heights.

    Ahmed addressed reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, after receiving his certificate of eligibility as the APC governorship candidate in next year’s election from the party’s Northcentral Screening Committee Chairman, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

    The governor assured the people that the tempo of governance would be enhanced when he is elected for a second term.

    He said: “We want to give assurances that we will be carrying out activities that will be premised on continuity of ongoing projects, especially in infrastructure and on the strength of that we will build new ones.”

    Ahmed promised to increase his administration’s youth development agenda, especially in employment generation and entrepreneurial development.

     

  • Suspected PDP thugs attack Ahmed’s convoy

    Suspected PDP thugs attack Ahmed’s convoy

    •Governor decries attack •PDP chair: assailants not PDP members 

    Scores of youths, suspected to be Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) thugs, on Tuesday, attacked the convoy of Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in Kaiama, Kaiama Local Government Area.

    The governor was in the ancient town for the N7.9 billion reconstruction work on the Kaiama-Kishi Road and the inauguration of the remodelled general hospital in the community.

    He distributed some electricity transformers and held a town hall meeting with the residents.

    The suspected thugs, who wielded campaign posters of President Goodluck Jonathan and souvenirs of PDP National Chairman Adamu Mu’azu, were allegedly waiting at the party’s secretariat beside the Emir of Kaiama’s palace, waiting for the governor’s convoy.

    They allegedly hauled invectives at the governor’s train as it decoyed from the general hospital to the emir’s palace, where he was to be turbaned as the ‘Jarman’ Kaiama.

    The intervention of the governor’s security detail prevented the situation from snowballing into a free-for-all.

    Policemen in the convoy of the governor fired teargas canisters into the air to disperse the hoodlums.

    The youth, who a resident called loafers, were shouting invectives at former Governor Bukola Saraki and Ahmed as the governor’s convoy drove past the PDP secretariat to the emir’s palace.

    Police spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed the incident.

    But he said he had not been adequately briefed.

    Okesanmi said: “I am sure some people would have been arrested.”

    Ahmed lodged a complaint yesterday with Police Commissioner Salihu Garba on the attack.

    In a letter by his Senior Special Assistant on Security and Intelligence, Alhaji B. S. Abdulsalam, the government alleged that the hoodlums vandalised two vehicles belonging to Speaker of the House of Assembly and Kayode Adams in the governor’s convoy.

    Also, a statement in Ilorin, the state capital, by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede, said: “The complaint also indicated that at 3pm on November 20, suspected PDP youths in Kaiama destroyed some billboards of Governor Ahmed.

    “The state government identified some PDP stalwarts in Kaiama as the brains behind the unfortunate incidents.”

    The Kwara State APC described the incident as the height of political provocation.

    In a statement, APC spokesperson Sulyman Buhari said: “Apparently bitter and terrified by the rousing reception accorded Governor Ahmed and his entourage by APC members and the people of Kaiama, a member of PDP State Executive Committee (SEC) led his armed thugs to ambush the governor’s convoy near the PDP secretariat, which is not far away from the Emir’s palace, immediately after the turbaning.

    “The armed thugs launched unprovoked attacks on the convoy of Governor Ahmed. Many vehicles were destroyed in the convoy while our party members were injured.

    “Kwara APC preaches and practices peace, even though all households in Kwara State are quite familiar with the violent antecedents and tendencies of the PDP.  We cannot fathom why the few armed PDP thugs on the rampage in Kaiama on Tuesday.

    “We condemn the attack on Governor Ahmed’s convoy and APC members. It is the height of political provocation.

    “The competence of the security agencies in Kwara State is being challenged by the activities of PDP thugs in the state. If the people in the governor’s convoy cannot be immune from ambush and attack, then the ordinary people in Kwara State without privileges of police escort are at the mercy of rampaging PDP thugs.

    “Security agencies should know that the attack on the governor’s convoy is a signal to the well-oiled violence machinery the PDP intends to launch in Kwara State in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.

    “We call on the police command and other security agencies in Kwara State to promptly investigate and bring to book the PDP thugs who orchestrated the attack…”

    Kwara State PDP Chairman Iyiola Oyedepo said the alleged attack on Ahmed’s convoy was not from PDP members.

    He said: “I want to tell you that the attack was not from members of PDP. I have always been of the view that when people continue to deceive the electorate, the pay day is always around the corner. So, the people may be reacting to years of neglect by the state government.

    “It is not the handiwork of PDP and we do not have thugs anywhere, not even in Kaiama. In any case, how many thugs would have been sent to PDP to do that kind of thing?

    “I was told that some of their vehicles were attacked by the people who were dissatisfied by the way and manner they had been neglected. They are not PDP thugs.”

  • Focus on policy making, Ahmed tells minister

    Focus on policy making, Ahmed tells minister

    •’I’ll boost electricity, if reelected”

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has urged the Minister for National Planning, Dr Abubakar Suleiman, to formulate policies that will improve the health and education sectors and shun politicking.

    Ahmed was reacting to Suleiman’s comment that Kwara workers were the least paid in the country.

    Speaking yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, during his monthly interactive programme with reporters, tagged: “The Governor Explains”, Ahmed said: “The minister should be more concerned with serious issues; planning is a serious business. Nigeria has suffered a lot of policy somersault, especially in education and health care delivery. So anybody saddled with the responsibility of managing the ministry of planning should not have time for politicking. You must sit down and articulate a short, medium and long-term policy formulation and implementation platform for Nigeria.

    “There is a huge deficit in infrastructure. In the last 10 years, there has been no road project in Kwara by the Federal Government. The Ajase-Ipo-Offa road is bad; Kaiama-Kishi road is bad; Ilesha-Baruba road is bad. We have been spending our little resources on roads. Rather than team up with other people at the federal level to put pressure on the Federal Government to fix its roads, the minister is asking the state to spend its resources on federal roads. We don’t have problems rehabilitating them but they are yet to pay us back for the ones we have done.

    “We did the Ilesha-Baruba-Kosubosu road and the Federal Government still owes us about N3 billion for it. We don’t have the capacity to fix all state and federal roads. So, we are appealing to the Federal Government to repair these roads for the benefit of our people. On our part, we shall continue to rehabilitate roads. As soon as the rains subside, we will kick off the rehabilitation of the Kaiama-Kishi and Ilesha-Gwanara roads. These are all federal roads.

    “The minister’s comments reflected some level of information gap in terms of how states access funds at the federal level. Kwara is one of the five states that receive the lowest federal allocation and the states he compared us with are in the top 15. Despite that, we were one of the first states to implement the N18,000 minimum wage.

    “We are one of the states where salary is paid as at when due. In other words, we have a pay day. We have not dragged the welfare of workers into politicking. It is serious business. Their welfare must be taken seriously and that was why we got car loan for civil servants, because we know they desire to be mobile. The loan obtained from the commercial bank was about N3 billion. We also pay civil servants consolidated salary, which includes leave bonus.

    “If I get another term in office, I will embark on accelerated development of the state; especially in terms of job creation for our teeming youths. The youths are increasing in number and the system has not been able to put up a strong platform to reduce unemployment. Another key area is the development of infrastructure. There will be more roads linking communities, markets and good electricity, as we intend to set up an Independent Power Plant (IPP).

    “Already, plans are on ground to get two sets of investors to drive energy in gas and solar. These are currently being worked on and, by the grace of God, in the next administration they will come to fruition and people will have access to additional power.

    “Our education will definitely be improved as we will begin to see not only improved availability but improved accessibility. Ditto for healthcare delivery; we have exposed ourselves to the rest of the world where we attracted additional participants in our Community Health Insurance Scheme and this will translate into a minimum of one million people by 2018 accessing healthcare with N500 per person in Kwara State.”

  • Kwara North monarchs back governor

    Kwara North monarchs back governor

    Traditional rulers in Kwara North Senatorial Zone have endorsed Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for a second term.

    The traditional rulers, led by the Etsu Patigi and Vice-Chairman of the State Traditional Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, gave the endorsement during a congratulatory visit to the governor on his recent awards, both at home and in France.

    Umar said the governor had touched the lives of the people of Kwara North Ahmed in numerous ways, especially health care delivery, education and youth empowerment.

    He thanked the governor for appointing an appreciable number of people from the senatorial district into his administration. The monarchs prayed for the governor’s success in the 2015 elections.

    Ahmed thanked them for their support, pledging to fix the Kishi-Kaiama and Ilesha Baruba-Gwanara roads.