The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ahmed

  • Crude oil price crash a blessing, says Ahmed

    Crude oil price crash a blessing, says Ahmed

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has said the slide in crude oil price can translate into good tidings for Nigeria, if the country develops its potential in the non-oil sector.

    The governor, who spoke when a team of Course 38 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, visited him, said a shift of focus on a product economy through exploration and exploitation of potential in agriculture and other natural resources would cushion the harsh economic realities.

    He said the country was passing through the danger of dependence on mono-culture economy, adding that the survival of the economy lies in diversification.

    Ahmed, who hailed the Armed Forces for protecting  the country, called for their involvement in nation building under a democratic dispensation.

    The leader of the course, Brig.-Gen. Moshood Jimoh, said the team was in the state for a study of its non-oil sector potential.

    Jimoh, who said the theme of the course was: ‘Repositioning Nigeria’s non-oil sector as a major source of revenue’, noted that the country could no longer depend on oil for its survival.

    He said governments should explore potential in the non-oil sector to drive the economy.

  • Ahmed imposes curfew on communities

    Ahmed imposes curfew on communities

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Share and Tsaragi in Edu and Ifelodun councils.

    This followed clashes between the communities at the weekend.

    It was learnt that Share LGEA Primary School was damaged during the fracas.

    A source said although nobody died, many people were injured.

    The government, about five years ago, created a buffer zone for the two communities, following a clash over land.

    Sources said leaders from Share ordered some trees in the buffer zone cut down, which angered residents of Tsaragi.

    Police spokesman Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the deployment of security personnel in the area.

    In a statement, Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Isiaka Gold said: “The Kwara State government warns that anyone found with illegal arms and ammunition or found disrupting peace will be dealt with.

    “While other security agencies, particularly the police, State Security Service and Civil Defence are on ground, a detachment of the Army was drafted to ensure compliance  and maintain peace.

    “The government assures the people of its preparedness to ensure the welfare and security of citizens.

    “Other communities are urged to live in peace with their neighbours, as the full weight of the law will be brought to bear on anyone or group causing trouble, no matter how highly placed.”

  • Ahmed wins awards

    Ahmed wins awards

    Kwara State government has emerged the Most Transparent State Government and Most Innovative State Government.

    The awards were presented in Lagos at the weekend by the Nigeria Impact Award, powered by Exclusive magazine.

    The organisers said the government, headed by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, was given the Most Transparent State Government award based on its efforts in reaching out to the people.

    The state is ranked among those where commissioners and top government officials interact with the people at least three times a week on the radio and TV. A monthly interactive programme, ‘The Governor Explains’, provides a platform for Governor Ahmed to interact with the people on government programmes, policies and challenges.

    Exclusive magazine said the award was presented to Ahmed because of the innovative and people-oriented programmes of his government, particularly the Community Health Insurance Scheme with over 600,000 enrollees; the Kwara State Bridge Employment Scheme, which has given jobs to the unemployed; and the Kwara State Next Entrepreneur Scheme designed to create access to loans up to N10 million.

     

  • Ahmed: N20b bond won’t be a financial burden

    Ahmed: N20b bond won’t be a financial burden

    •Nine more commissioners sworn in

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday said the N20 billion bond the state intends to access from the capital market would not constitute a financial burden on the state.

    Ahmed said the bonds, if approved, would enable his administration to complete key projects.

    The governor noted that this would make more investors to come to the state, ensure speedy growth of the economy and accelerate the socio-economic development of the state.

    He urged politicians not to politicise the loan but focus on how it would turn around the state’s fortunes.

    Ahmed spoke yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, when he swore in nine more commissioners.

    The new commissioners are: Alhaji Haruna Tambiri Mohammed (Local Government), Alhaji Wasiu Odewale (Planning and Economic Development), Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji (Agriculture and Natural Resources), Muideen Olaniyi Alalade (Housing and Urban Development).

    Others are: Ahmed Mohammed Rifun (Commerce and Cooperative), Hajiya Amina Susa’a de Ahmed (Tertiary Education, Science and Technology), Alhaji Sulyman Atolagbe Alege (Health), Alhaja Saka Asiat Ayinke (Women Affairs) and Mrs. Iyabo Adewuyi (Social Development and Culture).

    Ahmed told the new commissioners that their appointments were based on their commitment and dedication to the growth of the state, adding that they should bring such qualities to bear in the discharge of their new responsibilities.

    He said: “The loan is affordable and will not impose any financial burden on our state or hamper our capacity to meet our obligation to our people.

    “Let me assure you that the state has the capacity to repay the bond with improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    “My administration is focused on creating prosperity for all in Kwara State. Every government draws legality from the lawful process through which it attains power, but more importantly through its capacity to create conditions for everyone to prosper, subject only to the limits of its capacity. With this in mind, we are irrevocably committed to improving the life of everybody who calls Kwara home.”

     

  • Ahmed swears in 14 Perm Secs

    Ahmed swears in 14 Perm Secs

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday swore in 14 Permanent Secretaries.

    The governor urged them, as chief accounting officers of their ministries, to drive with vigour his administration’s prudent and judicious use of public resources and enhanced internally generated revenue (IGR).

    He noted that such prudence had become expedient because of dwindling revenue to the state from the Federation Account.

    Ahmed said: “Today, the realities of the economic challenges are upon us. In the last 18 months, the Federal allocation to the state had dwindled consistently.

    “Specifically, our monthly allocation has dropped by about 45 per cent and is currently incapable of meeting our recurrent expenditure, including the payment of salaries.

    “There is no indication that the situation will improve any time soon. Therefore, this is the time for the government to implement belt-tightening measures.”

  • Ahmed sends nine names to Assembly

    Ahmed sends nine names to Assembly

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has sent nine more names to the House of Assembly for confirmation as commissioners.

    This brought to 19 the names of commissioner-nominees sent to the Assembly for confirmation, according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede.

    The statement said Ahmed, in a letter through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold, thanked the Speaker and other members of the Assembly for the speedy confirmation of the first batch of nominees.

    The governor hoped the new names would be treated with the same despatch.

    Ten commissioner-nominees were confirmed by the House of Assembly last week.

  • Ahmed raises panel on council revenue

    Ahmed raises panel on council revenue

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday established a Local Government Stakeholders Committee on Revenue Generation to fashion out strategies for managing council revenue.

    Ahmed spoke at the Government House, Ilorin, at a meeting attended by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, Head of Service, Haji Zara Umar, chairmen of the 16 local governments, labour leaders, officials of the Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Ministry, local government directors of personnel management and treasurers.

    The committee’s mandate is to identify strategies for managing and distributing local government revenue to ensure the timely payment of workers and other obligations within the ambit of the law; the specific needs of each council as well as available resources, since the allocation to all levels of governments, including councils, is unlikely to improve in future.

    In a statement, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said the committee was headed by the accountant-general and comprised the chairmen of the 16 councils and their directors of personnel management, treasurers, labour unions and representatives of the Local Government Service Commission.

    Others are representatives of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Association of Local Government Councils of Nigeria (ALGON).

    The committee has one week to submit its report.

    Kwara State government and the chairmen of Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, Moro and Ifelodun local governments have agreed to create dump sites to carry out refuse disposal in Ilorin.

    Governor Ahmed, who spoke yesterday in Ilorin, following a meeting with council chairmen, said the decision became necessary because of the increasing population and high refuse generation.

     

     

  • Ahmed to appointees: perform or get the boot

    Ahmed to appointees: perform or get the boot

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has urged newly-appointed political office holders to add value to governance or be dropped.

    The governor spoke yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, at the swearing-in of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Isiaka Gold; Head of Service, Hajia Zahra Oma; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Yusuf Abdulwahab and special advisers.

    He said the appointments were coming at a period of economic challenge with increasing expectations of good governance and economic well-being from the residents.

    Ahmed said: “This administration is in a hurry. We are keen to fulfil our mandate in the shortest possible time. I, therefore, expect you to hit the ground running. You must quickly key into and add value to the administration or give way to others who can.

    “You must bring a sense of urgency to your new assignment. In doing so, I do not expect you to just think out of the box. On the contrary, I expect you to throw the box away and fashion out innovative ways to contribute to our development agenda for the state and our people.”

    The governor noted that given the prevailing realities, governance could no longer be business as usual.

    He said success had become mandatory and non-performance not an option.

    Ahmed said the political appointees should apply best practices in governance, make prudence, accountability, transparency and fear of God their watchword.

    On the State Civil Service, the governor directed the new Head of Service to sensitise civil servants to the ethics of service and excellence in performance: To the new Head of Service, he said: “You should similarly identify the hidden talents who can catapult the service to the next level. Furthermore, I implore you to ensure their effective deployment and positive engagement to this administration.”

  • Scheme to provide jobs for youths, says Ahmed

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has said the Next Entrepreneur Scheme introduced by his administration, which provides up to N10million micro-credit for each medium scale business, is to promote youth employment in the private sector.

    The governor, who spoke at the weekend in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government, said the micro-credit window would provide funds for small business owners to grow their businesses.

    He assured the people that the proposed independent power project and other projects would stimulate investment and economic activities.

    Said Ahmed: “We intend to stimulate investment inflow through our projects, such as an independent power project and major infrastructure across the state.

    “My administration remains committed to ensuring equitable distribution of projects. It is our expectation that these projects will stimulate economic activities and create jobs for youths.”

    According to him, the provision of qualitative education for the Kwara child remained important to his administration’s prosperity programme, as additional classrooms would be built as well as new campuses for the Kwara State University (KWASU).

    His words: “The proposed projects include 2,000 blocks of new classrooms, new campuses for KWASU in Osi and Ilesha Baruba and major projects.”

    On road projects, the governor said Share-Oke-Ode, Ipetu-Rore, Pategi-Kpada, dualisation of Michael Imoudu to Ganmo road in Ilorin, among others, would be completed.

    He said peace and harmony must prevail to enable the realisation of the projects and programmes, adding that grievances and desire for remedies, when expedient, should be through traditional, religious and legal platforms, rather than through self-help.

    Governor Ahmed has approved the appointment of Dr. Muritala Awodun as the pioneer executive chairman of the state Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) and Dr. Isaac Gbenle as its new director of Field Operations, Processes and Research.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said the appointments were made following a rigorous selection and interview to ensure that only the best candidates were appointed in view of the strategic importance of the KWIRS.

    Until his appointment, the new executive chairman of the state revenue service, was the dean of the School of Business and Governance (SBG), Kwara State University, Malete.

    He was also the founding director of KWASU Centre for Entrepreneurship, 2009-2014 and the founding head of the Department of Management Sciences.

    Dr. Awodun holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics, a Master of Science in Economics and a PhD in International Business.

    He is a Fellow of the Institute of Entrepreneurs, Nigeria and the Institute of Direct Marketing of Nigeria. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School Executive Education Programme and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

    Dr. Gbenle is a recognised leader in IT Assurance and Security, and an expert in Enterprise IT and governance. He has a Bachelors degree in Economics, Master’s in Business Administration and PhD in IT Assurance & Security.

    Dr. Gbenle has directed and managed IT strategic and operational planning, and established appropriate governance structures, frameworks and tools that supported the business needs of several organisations.

  • Sallah: Ahmed dismisses online report

    Sallah: Ahmed dismisses online report

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has described as false, malicious and unfounded, a report published by Saharareporters.com last Friday.

    The report claimed that Senate President Bukola Saraki blamed the governor for miscreants’ attack on dignitaries at the Ilorin Eid prayer ground last Thursday.

    In a statement in Ilorin, Dr. Muyideen Femi Akorede, the senior special assistant on Media and Communications to Governor Ahmed said at no time did the Senate president accuse the governor of leaving him vulnerable to attack by the miscreants, neither did Governor Ahmed blame Dr. Saraki for the miscreants’ attack on dignitaries.

    Describing the report’s claim that Senator Saraki got N1billion of the N4.3billion bailout loan received by the state government from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as preposterous, malicious and provocative, Akorede said the Senate President neither received any kobo out of the money which was  used to pay the two months’ salary arrears of civil servants last month, nor any other money from the government.

    He said the former governor was preoccupied with the task of lawmaking and providing leadership at the National Assembly and had no time to either interfere with or control the state’s finances, which were under the jurisdiction of the government and its authorised officials.