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Tag: Ahmed

  • Ahmed, Saraki mourn industrialist Adesoye

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has mourned the late industrialist and educationist, Chief Emmanuel Adesoye, who died last Saturday. He was 79.

    Governor Ahmed, in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, said the state lost an industrialist, philanthropist and administrator plenipotentiary.

    The statement reads: “The late Adesoye contributed immensely to the industrial development of the state and Nigeria. As the first northern Nigerian student to qualify as a Quantity Surveyor, and the second Nigerian to attain that height, Chief Adesoye would be missed for his boldness, intelligence and charisma, which endeared him, not only to the people of Offa, but to everyone that crossed his path.

    “May his soul, and those before him, find rest and may God grant his families and friends the fortitude to bear the loss.”

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has also expressed grief.

    Saraki, in a statement by his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said: “Chief Adesoye was one leader, whose lifestyle of simplicity, compassion and hard work will remain unmatched. Adesoye College, which he established, is a living testimony of his passion to free humanity from the clutches of ignorance.

    “Besides, through his confectionery industry, the popular Okin Biscuits, he fed the hungry and ensured that thousands of Nigerians were employed, either as direct workers in the company, wholesalers or retailers of his product. His visionary leadership and initiative in lifting humanity are worthy of emulation.”

    Saraki prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and his loved ones the grace to bear the loss.

    Adesoye, the Asiwaju of Offa died in the early hours of yesterday at his Offa home.

    He was said to have been managing an undisclosed ailment for some time.

    The deceased was the manufacturer of Okin Biscuit and Okin Foam.

    He also acquired Kwara Breweries in Ijagbo from the state.

    Adesoye was proprietor of Adesoye College, Offa, a pioneer international secondary school in Nigeria.

  • Ahmed swears in 16 council chiefs

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday swore in 16 local government chairmen. He pledged to work harder and closer with them to find a sustainable solution to the salary crisis at the local government level.

    Ahmed, who is worried about the plight of workers and pensioners experiencing salary and pension delays, urged the chairmen to work with relevant stakeholders to raise Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    “As your governor, I feel your pain. I feel your pain in the messages I receive from some of you, in the pleas of your leadership, the challenges faced by your families and the distress expressed in the public space about your distress”, he said.

    The governor particularly urged them to work with the legislature to enact enabling laws to back effective revenue drives, and with the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) to exploit existing revenue lines.

    He said: “Every local government, especially those in the cosmopolitan and populated areas, has latent revenue opportunities that must be identified and exploited without imposing additional burden on the people. That is the only way your administrations can survive and meet the people’s expectations.”

    The governor advised the chairmen to prioritise due process and prudence and to shun unnecessary appointments, ostentatious living and other conduct that could call their integrity to question and hamper capacity to uplift the people.

    Chairman of Ekiti Local Government Mr. Yinka Dallas, who responded for his colleagues, promised to work with the state and its agencies to improve IGR to meet their challenges, especially salary payment.

    He thanked the people for the confidence reposed in them and promised to deliver on their campaign promises.

  • Who succeeds Ahmed in Kwara?

    Who succeeds Ahmed in Kwara?

    No fewer than 15 politicians are scheming to succeeed Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, whose tenure expires in 2019. Correspondent ADEKUNLE JIMOH examines the contenders.

    KWARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed will bow out of office in 2019. Who succeeds him? No fewer than 15 All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains are struggling to emerge as its governorship candidate.

    Although the election is still two years away, gladiators and those interested in the Ahmadu Bello way Government have started oiling their machinery.

    The posters of those front line contenders and pretenders are yet to flood Ilorin, the state capital and other major towns and cities in the state. But, there are clandestine meetings.

    As at the last count, the politicians eyeing the governorship under the banner of the APC include Dr Ali Ahmad, Moshood Mustapha, Bolaji Abdullahi, Ahman Patigi. Others are  Zakari Mohammed, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje.

    The APC aspirants are loyalists and supporters of the Saraki political dynasty. They are all followers of the leader of the party and Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    Some political analysts have argued that Dr Saraki’s sibling and 2011 governorship candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Senator Gbemisola Saraki, may again try her luck. But the party under which platform she would contest is still shrouded in secrecy.

    Aspirants on the platform of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are Lukeman Mustapha and Abdulrahman Abfulrazak.

    Dr Mike Omotosho is interested in flying the flag of the Labour Party (LP).

     

    Dr Ali Ahmad

    The university law teacher-turned politician is the Speaker of the House of Assembly. He was a member of the House of Representatives at the 7th National Assembly. During that time, he headed the Judiciary Committee of the House.

    The former University of Ilorin lecturer had earlier served as Special Adviser Governor Bukola Saraki before his appointment as the Attorney General and Justice Commissioner. Ahmad hails from Ilorin, Kwara Central Senatorial District.

     

    Moshood Mustapha

    The ex-customs staff also hails from Ilorin, the state capital. He is the Special Adviser to Senate President Saraki on Special Duties.

    The son of a former commissioner in the state, was also in the 7th House of Representatives. The one-time special adviser to  Saraki has not hidden his ambition, while others are surreptitiously carrying out their campaigns.

     

    Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi

    He hails from Ilorin. The former Minister of Youths and Sports is a loyalist of Senator Saraki. He sacrificed his ministerial position under former President Goodluck Jonathan at the formative stage of the All Progressives Congress by throwing his weight behind his political godfather. The spectacular action,  it was gathered, has further endeared him to the ‘leader.’

    Mallam Abdullahi was also Special Adviser to Saraki on Media and Communications before becoming a full blown education commissioner.

    The odds,  according to political pundits, are in his favour for the slot.

     

    Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje

    This is an astute politician. He is an indigene of Ilorin. Baraje is a retired teacher. The ace politician was a former secretary of the PDP.

    He led the group that held a parallel PDP congress culminating in the “New-PDP.” He  emerged as the national chairman of the n-PDP.

    N-PDP eventually fused into the APC.

    Baraje has never made his intention pubic, but his loyalists and supporters are reining in. Baraje once told his supporters to allow the leader make his decision on the choice of who becomes what.

    He added that, in the Saraki political dynasty, everything is orderly and turn by turn.

     

    Zakari Mohammed

    The former Radio Kwara Sports presenter hails from Gure, Baruten Local Government Area.

    He was a Commissioner for Energy and Youths and Sports under Saraki. He is serving his second term in the House of Representatives. At the 7th House of Representatives, he was House Committee Chair on Media and Publicity.

    The Odds are in his favour as he is one of Saraki’s boys.  According to APC’s zoning arrangement in the state, Kwara North is to produce the next governor of the state.

     

    Ahman Patigi

    The proprietor of the fledgling Ahman Patigi University hails from Patigi, Patigi local government of the state. He is currently a member of the House  of Representatives.

    He is also from Kwara North senatorial district. Both contenders from the north has been going about his ambition discreetly. PDP aspirants

     

    Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazak

    The Abuja-based business man has been a serial aspirant. He was a PDP aspirant in 2011 and 2015 in the state. He is an indigene of Ilorin and the son of the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of Northern extraction, Abdulganiyu Abdulrazak.

    At the public gathering recently to celebrate his dad’s 90th years anniversary, in Ilorin, one of the preachers at the event urged him to try a shot at the seat once again.

     

    Lukeman Mustapha

    Moshood Mustapha is the founder of the just debuted Sabo FM in Ilorin. The banker is little known in the political calculation of the state.

     

  • Ahmed is LEAD man of the year

    Ahmed is LEAD man of the year

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed is the LEAD Project Africa ‘Man of the Year’.

    Ahmed beat Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Governors Willie Obiano of Anambra State and Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, to win the category at the ninth edition of the annual award and lecture series

    Commissioner for Information and Communication Mahmud Ajeigbe received the award on behalf of the governor, at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

    LEAD Man of The Year is the highest category of award in the LEAD Project Africa. It honours a trailblazing personality, who has impacted on people through leadership excellence, enterprise initiatives, employment creation, leading to advancement of industry and the development of African economy.

    Among the judges and advisory board of the award were Dr. Christopher Kolade (CON), former Nigerian high commissioner in United Kingdom; Prof Tunde Samuel, World Bank consultant on Development; Prof Oladapo Afolabi, former head of Federal Service, and Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of Education and director of World Bank.

    Others are Dr. Frank S. Udemba Jacobs (MON) – MAN, President; Mr Kyari Abba Bukar, chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group; Prof Abigail Ogwuezzy, Unilag’s first female Professor of Mass Communication; Alhaji G.B. Kankanrufi, DG, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, DG, Unilag FM.

    According to the organisers, Governor Ahmed was shortlisted based on his Agricultural initiatives and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) reforms, which have contributed to the state’s development.

    Ahmed thanked the organisers and promised to work harder.

    He said the award is to recognise his administration’s efforts to transform the state, adding that the award will serve as a catalyst for better performance and delivery of good governance.

  • Ahmed, Ibori, Kalu sympathise

    KWARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson have commiserated with All Progressives Congress (APC)  National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the sudden death of his son, Jide.

    Ahmed, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba,  said he received the news of the demise of Asiwaju’s first son with rude shock and described his exit as a painful and colossal loss.

    The governor urged the party’s national leader to take solace in the fact that death is an inevitable end of all mortals.

    He prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and also prayed Almighty Allah to grant the parents the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

    A statement signed by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, described the death of Jide  as untimely and shocking.

    The governor prayed God to grant the Tinubus the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

    Former Governor of Abia State Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and former Delta State Governor James Onanefe Ibori also conveyed their heartfelt condolences to Tinubu over the passing of his son.

    In his condolence message to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Leader, Kalu said: “I was absolutely shocked to hear the news of the demise of Asiwaju Tinubu’s son, Jide.

    “It is painful that Jide, who had a promising future died in his prime. Our prayers and thoughts are with the entire Tinubu family at this period of grief”.

    In a statement signed by Ibori’s Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, the former Delta State Governor described the late Jide as “truly remarkable”.

    According to Ibori, Jide embodied the hopes of a future Nigeria as he grew up in the true spirit and blood of the Tinubus: “hard working, energetic, well-educated and had in his short life excelled in the high-flying positions he occupied in rather outstanding blue-chip companies within and outside Nigeria”.

    Ibori has advised Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to please take heart, “because this great blow is not his alone, but a national tragedy as his friends and colleagues all across Nigeria are united with him at this moment of grief”.

    He prayed God to grant Tinubu, his wife Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Jide’s siblings the grace to bear this great loss.

  • Ahmed congratulates UNILORIN VC

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has congratulated the Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem.

    The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, described Abdulkareem as a tested administrator and academic of high repute, whose appointment will sustain the success of his predecessors and record milestones in the better-by-far university.

    “This appointment is a well-deserved one,” the governor said.

    Ahmed promised to support the university, especially in human capital development and research on agricultural practice and sustainable energy.

    The governor also congratulated ex-Vice Chancellor Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali for ensuring that the institution maintained a stable academic calendar, among other achievements.

    He prayed God to see Prof. Abdulkareem through in his responsibility.

  • Ahmed spends N7b on road projects

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said yesterday his administration had spent over seven billion Naira on road projects.

    He said they were executed under the state Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K).

    Ahmed, who spoke at the inauguration of Federal Road Safety Corps RS8, Kwara State office complex in Ilorin, said the I-FK’s success demonstrated the benefits of partnering private sector to fund key infrastructure projects.

    “Among road projects embarked on by this government”, the governor said, “are dualisation of Kulende-UITH-Oke Ose Road, Geri-Alimi Split Diamond Interchange, Share-Oke-Ode Road, Egbejila-Airport Road and Megida Arobadi Road.”

    He urged the private sector to synergise with governments under Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to establish and fund infrastructure projects on a sustainable basis.

    “While I remain an advocate of stronger federal/state synergy in the funding and provision of infrastructure, it is time we leveraged on the private sector to provide key infrastructure, which as we know is a major driver of social and economic development,” Ahmed said.

    He said the PPP approaches ensured efficiency, guaranteed funding for projects and insulated infrastructure from the challenges associated with government financing of projects.

    The governor added that the second phase of the Light-Up Kwara project had begun, as streetlights had been installed on major streets.

  • Ahmed relaxes curfew on communities

    Kwara State government has relaxed a curfew on Odo Owa and Iloffa communities in Oke Ero Local Government.

    The government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the communities following a clash in July.

    The crisis was alleged to have claimed four lives.

    The fracas was reportedly caused by a disagreement over who had a right to first sell yams harvested from the farms of traditional rulers.

    Secretary to State Government (SSG) Alhaji Isiaka Gold said in a statement that the curfew “will operate between 10 p.m. and 6a.m. till further notice.”

    He urged residents to be obedient and peaceful.

    The SSG said the government was studying the report of the judicial commission of enquiry into the crisis.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said yesterday the $60million World Bank loan was a Federal Government initiative called Rural Access and Mobility Project.

    Speaking while receiving traditional rulers from Kwara South led by Oloffa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II, who paid him Sallah homage at the Government House, Ilorin, Ahmed said the project was in partnership with the World Bank and French Development Agency.

    He said the funds would be made available to state governments willing to partner the Federal Government to rehabilitate rural roads, especially those linking up with commercial environments.

    The governor said: “The fund is expected to contribute 95 per cent of the projects, while the states will contribute five per cent counterpart funding to access the loan. The money will be used for rural roads.”

    He said Kwara was one of the states to enjoy the second tranche of the soft loan, to build roads in  rural areas, adding that Adamawa, Cross River, Enugu and Kaduna states enjoyed the first tranche.

    Oba Gbadamosi Esuwoye II thanked the governor for the projects in Kwara South.

    He promised that monarchs would support him and pray for the success of his administration.

  • Remove funding of education from councils, says Ahmed

    Remove funding of education from councils, says Ahmed

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has said the funding of basic education  be removed from local governments to the Federal Government.

    He spoke yesterday while featuring on a radio programme, Governor Explains.

    According to Ahmed, the funding and payment of basic level teachers by councils hinder the growth of education at the foundation level.

    “The standard of education at the primary level is low. This is a serious concern to governments at state and federal levels. It is high time we separated local government funding from State Universal Basic Education,” he said.

    The governor, who assured the people of his administration’s support for education, especially SUBEB teachers, promised to pay counterpart funding to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) from the next tranche of Paris loan refund, to enable the government access funds for repair of schools.

    He said: “Our government will spare no effort in providing infrastructure in schools, to guarantee conducive learning.”

    Ahmed said his administration has secured a non-government organisation (NGO) status for International Vocational, Technical and Entrepreneurship College, Ajase-Ipo, to make the institution attractive to international organisations and ensure sustainability.

    He said the decision to change the status of the institution was to guarantee its capacity to drive recurrent expenditure on self-sustainable basis.

  • Ahmed approves release of N937m to contractors

    Ahmed approves release of N937m to contractors

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has approved the release of N937, 572, 974.09 to contractors handling infrastructural projects across the state.

    The amount represents the third quarter payment under the Kwara Infrastructure Development (IF-K) payment grid for completed, ongoing and new projects.

    News of the approval was contained in a statement yesterday by Finance Commissioner Alhaji Demola Banu. He said the payment would be made to the contractors next month.

    Banu, who said the release of the funds was to ensure ongoing projects and new ones were completed on schedule, added that the money would also cover payment for completed projects.

    He listed some of the projects to include building of Arandun-Rore Ipetu road, Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara road, Share-Oke Ode road (section 1 & 2), Arobadi-Megida road, Offa-Ira road, Ilala bridge, Erin Ile-Ilemona road, College of Engineering Building (phase 1) and construction of Oko Idofin-Odo Ase road.

    Others are rehabilitation of Egbejila road, Ilorin; Oke-Opin township road; Anilelerin-Ita Erin road, Offa; Old Garage Central Mosque Mission road; Agbabiaka road; Gaa Akanbi Ilorin; Offa-Ipee road; Ilorin water supply and reticulation network; channelisation network of Ita-Alamu village as well as ongoing repositioning of the state-owned media houses.