The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ahmed

  • Kwara raises Internally Generated Revenue to N1.5b

    Kwara raises Internally Generated Revenue to N1.5b

    Kwara State now has generated N1.5 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) monthly as against the former N500 million, it was learnt yesterday.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who spoke at a function organised by members of the Third Estate, Ilorin, noted that states must look beyond earnings from the federation account to survive funding challenges from the Federal Government, which hinder the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.

    According to Ahmed, his administration had changed the process of revenue generation to meet challenges of infrastructural development without introducing taxes.

    “I am happy that the consciousness has come to us as a country, as a state and most importantly, as a government, that we cannot continue to depend on federation allocations. Hence, we have been able to drive our internally generated revenue by changing the process and the personnel,” he explained.

    He added that as part of his administration’s effort to drive agriculture as a money earner, 10,000 hectares of land was earmarked for next farming season to deepen the administration’s Off-taker Demand Driven initiative in agriculture.

    Chairman of the Third Estate Dr. Yusuf Lawal, said the body rendered community support, such as provision of borehole, financial assistance to indigent students and scholarship to brilliant students for postgraduate studies.

  • Ahmed commiserates with Abiara

    Ahmed commiserates with Abiara

    KIwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has commiserated with the General Evangelist, Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Worldwide, Evangelist Samuel Kayode Abiara, on the demise of his wife Evangelist Christiana.

    Ahmed, in a condolence message, described Mrs. Abiara as a woman of virtue, who lived her life with the fear of God and service to humanity.

    According to the governor, the prayers of the deceased would be missed greatly.

    He added that the country is in need of prayer warriors to sail out of this difficult economic period.

    Ahmed prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss and the deceased eternal rest.

  • Ahmed orders contractors to site

    Ahmed orders contractors to site

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has directed contractors handling various projects to return to sites.

    Ahmed gave the directive yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, at the monthly stakeholders meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He said projects in the areas of energy, water, road construction, health and education would be completed as the state’ revenue improves, adding that his government places high premium on quality infrastructure for socio-economic development. He promised not to relent in facilitating the state’s economic growth.

    Governor Ahmed hinted that N5 million had been earmarked to carry out special infrastructural intervention projects in each of the 193 wards in the state, even as he promised to begin another round of youth and women empowerment programmes next week.

     

  • Ahmed releases N1b for teachers’ salary

    Ahmed releases N1b for teachers’ salary

    The Kwara State government has released N1.2 billion for the payment of teachers’ July salary.

    This is part of efforts to resolve the lingering salary crisis at the basic education level.

    The amount is higher than the N706,131,293.13 released in June.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said this during an interaction with local government chairmen, treasurers, labour leaders and top government officials on Monday.

    Governor Ahmed said the state augmented the July 2016 federal allocation to councils with N160 million to ensure that teachers and other council workers get their full salaries.

    He, however, hinged the intervention on the completion of the workers’ verification, stressing that only workers that have been cleared would be paid.

  • Ahmed, Sultan, Gambari for conference

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, President-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, will, on Friday, in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, open a three-day national conference on the propagation of Islam.

    The conference is organised by the Da’wah Co-ordination Council of Nigeria (DCCN).

    Chairman, Central Working Committee of DCCN, Justice Idris Abdullahi Haroon said the conference would hold at the Banquet Hall, beginning on Thursday through Saturday.

    Governor Ahmed, he said is the special guest of honour, while Emir Sulu-Gambari would be the royal host.

    Sultan Abubakar is expected to commission the newly constructed Juma’at Mosque built by the Kwara State Jamaatu Nasril Islam.

  • Ahmed, Saraki absent at Ilorin Eid Prayers

    •One dead, three injured in Kwara

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki as well as top government functionaries were conspicuously absent at the Eid-el-Fitri prayers on yesterday in Ilorin.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both the governor and Saraki were usually present at the Eid praying ground during Sallah celebrations.

    No reason was given for their absence although a top Government House source told NAN that the governor prayed at a private mosque in the state capital.

    NAN also reports that the duo usually paid the traditional homage to the Emir, Alhaji Sulu Gambari, immediately after the Eid prayers.

    They were, however, absent for the traditional homage and the accompanying Durbar which often followed the Eid prayers.

    NAN reports that Ahmed last year stayed away from the Eid praying ground while those who attended with the Senate President were pelted with stones and sachet water by angry workers whose salaries were not paid.

    NAN also reports that there was a fracas at the palace of the emir who was hosting this year’s traditional “ night of prayers’’ on Sunday.

    A palace source confided in NAN that mid way into the programme, a cleric rose to defend government’s inability to pay workers’ salaries and this drew the anger of the people.

    The source told NAN that the crowd went berserk, disconnecting the electricity supply to the venue and freely throwing chairs at dignitaries at the event.

    The Secretary of Sheikh Alimi Foundation, Abdulazeez Arowona, in a statement confirmed there was fracas at the palace during the programme.

    Post Eid-el-fitri fracas occasioned by age-long chieftaincy tussle yesterday claimed one life in Jebba, Moro Local Government of Kwara State.

    Also, three persons were wounded by gunshots and properties worth millions of naira burnt in the process. The deceased was identified as ‘Pastor.’

    Eyewitnesses said that the dispute was a renewal of an age-long disagreement between factions loyal to the traditional ruler of the town ,Oba Abdulkadir Alabi Adebara and members of an opposing camp simply identified as Okedares.

    It was gathered that pandemonium broke out moments after the Eid el Fitiri prayers when some indigenes said to be loyal to the Okedare group allegedly began making some sinister displays at the frontage of Adebara’s palace.

  • 2016 budget best for Kwara, says Ahmed

    2016 budget best for Kwara, says Ahmed

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has lauded the inclusion of some deplorable federal roads in the state in the 2016 budget. He described it as the best thing that had happened to the state in the last 16 years from the Federal Government.

    Governor Ahmed spoke during a media chat to mark the first year of his second term in office and the 2016 Democracy Day.

    He listed the federal roads captured in the 2016 budget as Share-Patigi-Kogi boundary road, Kaiama-Kishi road and Ajase-Erinle road. Ahmed added that funding the projects will bring relief to the state’s resources as funds earlier earmarked for the roads would be used for other development projects.

    His words: “This is the best thing that has happened to Kwara in the last 16 years that I know. For the first time, we are getting federal projects in the state coming into the federal budget; projects that we could have spent our money on. When was the last time we were noticed and got projects at the federal level?”

  • Ahmed retires as CIIN DG

    •Promises new syllabus

    The Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has announced the retirement of its Director-General, Kola Ahmed effective from July 20.

    This is just as the institute disclosed that it has completed work on a new syllabus.

    The outgoing DG while speaking during the valedictory press conference held in Lagos, said the institute will soon release the new syllabus  to the public.

    Giving accounts of his stewardship, he said the institute successfully overcame the crisis of confidence that was strong and pervasive during his tenure.

    He said: “We regained the confidence and patronage of critical stakeholders for the institute’s programmes by way of endorsements and sponsorships, ensured full and successful implementation of each successive president’s programme and theme.

    “We instilled the culture of prudency, transparency and accountability in the management of the institute’s funds and resources, successful take-off of the College of Insurance and Financial Management, achieved a more purposeful, cohesive and organised insurance industry with the coming together of all arms of the industry under the aegis of the Insurance Industry Consultative Council (IICC), fostered closer ties with the industry’s regulator, the National Insurance Commission by playing a key role in the Board among others”.

  • Ahmed inaugurates committee

    Ahmed inaugurates committee

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday inaugurated a 20-man Joint Revenue Committee to promote internal revenue generation.

    Inaugurating the committee at the Government House, Ilorin, he said it was part of the government’s efforts to look inwards for the enhancement of revenue generation and restructuring, following shortfalls in earnings from crude oil.

    Ahmed urged the committee members to work hard and bring about the desired change in revenue drive, mobilisation and generation.

    The Chairman of the committee, who is also chairs man, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS), Dr. Murtala Awodun, said members would discharge their duties diligently.

    Other members of the committee are the chairmen of the 16 local governments, Alhaji Rasaq Olorunmako of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Dr. Saka Muhammed Olookoba of KWIRS and Mrs. Fatimah Folorunsho-Salman also of KWIRS, who will serve as the secretary.

     

  • Ahmed gets kudos on projects

    Ahmed gets kudos on projects

    Kwara South Unity Forum has hailed the efforts of Governor Abdulfataah Ahmed to complete road projects.

    In a communiqué at the end of its monthly meeting at Rore in Irepodun Local Government, the forum said resumption of work on the projects rekindled the people’s confidence in the government.

    It cited the Omu-Aran–Rore– Aranorin–Arandun Road; Oloro Palace Road; Oke-Ode– Sagbe Road; Oko River Bridge, Oro-Ago; Offa–Ira Road; Share and Oke-Ode township roads in Kwara South Senatorial District, among projects receiving attention.

    The forum said it was gratifying that similar projects were ongoing in the two other senatorial districts and Ilorin, the capital.

    In the communiqué, by Maj.-Gen. Yemi Abidoye (rtd) and Rotimi Ogunwuyi, chairman and interim secretary, Governor Ahmed was enjoined to ensure the take-off of the Osi campus of the Kwara State University this year.

    The forum urged him to rehabilitate the Ajasse-Ipo–Offa Road and Eruku–Egbe Road, which were described as gateways to the state from Osun and Kogi.

    It noted that although the roads were federal highways, they were vital to the transportation and economic well-being of the state.

    The forum said the degree of infrastructural decay of the state was unbefitting of a first-generation state, which would turn 50 next May.

    It advised the people to cooperate with the government to increase its Internally Generated Revenue from about N10 billion to N60 billion annually so that more social amenities could be provided.