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Tag: kwara

  • Kwara seeks 13 per cent derivation from solid minerals

    Kwara seeks 13 per cent derivation from solid minerals

    The Kwara State government has said the state should be included among beneficiaries of 13 per cent derivation fund from solid minerals.

    Commissioner for Industry and Solid Minerals Development Hajia Funmilayo Oniwa spoke in Ilorin at the stakeholders’ forum by the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAC).

    Hajia Oniwa, who listed about 17 mineral resources in the state, queried the state’s exclusion as an investment destination for solid minerals development by the Nigeria Mining and Metal Sector Investment Promotion in its August brochure.

    She said the state contributed to the development of the solid minerals sector as a veritable source of revenue generation into the federation account.

    Oniwa noted that such a document ought to be sensitive to the mineral and investment potential of each state in view of the Federal Government’s diversification campaign.

    She explained that the government would restructure the mineral architecture and enact laws enhancing its capacity for improved Internally Generated Revenue.

    Federal Commissioner (RMAC) Revd Ajibola Fagboyegun agreed that the state is endowed with mineral resources based on facts presented, and promised that the team would visit some of its mining sites.

  • Kwara to battle infrastructure deficit 

    The Kwara State government is set to plug the about N255 billion infrastructure gap in the state with the recent launch of its Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K). The state plans to achieve this through partnership with some banks, contractors, consultants and others.

    The state Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said that the establishment of the IF-K was informed by his desire to ensure rapid infrastructure growth and the need for an appropriate savings as well as investment mechanism. He added that in the next 10 months, over N5.8 billion will be pumped into the state’s economy via the IF-K.

    “Our expectation is that this injection will keep our project partners in business and have a positive spiral effect on employment generation. In the medium term, the remaining N5.3b of government spending will boost the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for about 18 months while sustaining the multiplier impact on job creation,” he said.

    The governor has also launched the construction of a Diamond Underpass at Geri Alimi, Ilorin, promising to commission soon the state’s newly-acquired Asphalt plant.

    Ahmed said, “Once the rains are over, we will commence major projects in the road, education, energy and health sectors across the state in a manner that accelerates development and ensures its even distribution.

    “Following from the PPP, IF-K is the second phase of my government’s long-term strategy to diversify our local economy, stimulate economic growth via private sector participation in infrastructure development and create opportunities for collective prosperity.

    “The purpose of the IF-K, therefore, is to pool funds for infrastructure projects, optimally leverage private sector resources for infrastructure development and channel State Internal Revenue to directly impact economic diversification and growth strategies. IF-K is also designed to ensure maximum quality assurance for asset and services procured by government and encourage broader and deeper interactions with the Kwara State Government from private and non-private partners.

    “The fund will be financed through a N5 billion seed fund and a N500 million monthly contribution from the state’s Internally Generated Revenue through an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO). This implies that the money will be taken at source from the state’s Internally Generated Revenue and provides an additional layer of assurance to project partners.”

  • Kwara owes contractors N11b, says Ahmed

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has put the value of project debts in the state at N11.1 billion.

    He said his administration disbursed N1.7 billion to reduce the debts, noting that the balance is N9.4 billion.

    Ahmed spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, during the launch of the Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K).

    He promised that payment would resume in December, with ongoing and new projects targeted for completion by December, 2018.

    “As a demonstration of faith and a token of our commitment to pay outstanding contractor debts, this amount will be reduced on a quarterly basis until all debts are liquidated before end of the administration.

    “Simultaneously, contractors will drop off the IF-K grid as their obligations are terminated to allow for the introduction of new portfolio of fresh projects.

    “The fund will be financed through a N5 billion seed fund and a N500 million monthly contribution from the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) through an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO). This implies that the money will be taken at source from the state’s IGR and provides an additional layer of assurance to project partners.

    “Additional non-IGR funds, such as those from the Federal Government and global development partners, will be added to IF-K as they become available.

    “Under IF-K, funds will be disbursed on a quarterly basis and are projected to grow by N6 billion by end of the year. In order to ensure accountability and insulate the funds from political control, the IF-K will be managed by a reputable investment company, Investment One, which has been appointed by law as trustee for the scheme.

    “Investment One is also to market the fund to potential investors and mitigate against payment risks by ring-fencing the funds and limiting their utilisation to the approved purposes.

    “I must also emphasise that we will continue to fund smaller projects through other platforms as only projects worth N300 million and above will be included on the IF-K payment grid.

    “Over the next 10 months, therefore, over N5.8 billion will be pumped into the state’s economy via IF-K. Our expectation is that this injection will keep our project partners in business and have a positive spiral effect on employment generation. In the medium term, the remaining N5.3 billion will boost the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for about 18 months while sustaining the multiplier impact on job creation.”

  • Kwara to begin CPS with N145m monthly contribution

    Kwara to begin CPS with N145m monthly contribution

    Kwara State servants employed after 1987 will soon be migrated into the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) with about N145 million remitted monthly.

    The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication to Kwara State Governor, Dr Muyideen Oluwakorede told journalists that workers employed before 1987 will continue in the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

    The state pays pensioners under the old scheme monthly pension of about N443 million. The government has “tentatively” estimated about N1.6 billion to be paid as contribution into the CPS for all pension arrears.

    According to Oluwakorede, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed believes that allowing workers from 1987 to migrate to the CPS will ensure they have enough pension contribution remitted into their Retirement Savings Account (RSA).

    Ahmed said the state would have joined the CPS before now but it met a lot of resistance from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    He said: “What we plan to do is that anybody who was employed after 1987 will be migrated into the CPS. Anybody who was employed before that time will continue in the normal scheme. This is because if you take them earlier, their contributions will not be enough and that is why we are going back to 1987.

    “Presently, our current monthly pension under the DBS is about N443 million, which will continue on the side and then the monthly commitment that we will have to now do when we go into the CPS will be about N145 million. The state government is currently looking at all the figures that we have to pay altogether and be sure that the state can afford it.

    “We are looking at the cost implications on our finances, not forgetting that the state allocations dropped considerably in the past. Although the state allocation is starting to rise, it has not risen to what it used to be. Migrating the pensioners needs a lot of planning because they have already retired. We have calculated it and the state is trying to correct some paper works but it is certain that we will join the new scheme.”

    He said that pensioners and the workers refused to join the CPS.

    “We couldn’t compel them to join the scheme but we gradually made them understand reasons why the workers should join the new scheme. We made them understand that there are benefits for workers and the state as a whole to enjoy under the scheme like the pension fund, which the Federal Government has pulled resources from for infrastructure. We explained to them that states that are not under the scheme are not eligible to pull resources or borrow from the fund for infrastructure development. We have also started sensitising workers to let them know why we have to take this step now,” Ahmed added.

  • N250m jobs tools for artisans, groups in Kwara

    N250m jobs tools for artisans, groups in Kwara

    Senate President Bukola Saraki has spent N250 million on jobs tools distributed to artisans, women associations, taxi drivers, Hausa groups, Igbo groups, Zuru and Fulani groups in the state. Other beneficiaries, according to him, were members of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Association of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU).

    Eighty tricycles, 1,777 grinding machines and 664 sewing machines, among other items, were distributed to the beneficiaries.

    The empowerment scheme, according to the senate president was designed to alleviate poverty and equip the less privilege to be economically self-reliant.

    Saraki was represented at the distribution of the items which took place at his mandate constituency office by the state chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani.

    Senator Saraki said that the gesture was to give back to reciprocate the honour done to him to represent them at the upper house which gave him the opportunity to become the president of the Senate. He promised the beneficiaries more of such assistance.

    The senate president advised the beneficiaries to use the items judiciously so that it can uplift them economically.

    The Director-General, Mandate Constituency Office, Abdulwahab Issa, said beneficiaries of the scheme were selected across the 16 local government areas of the state.

    Alhaji Issa said that “we painstakingly spread it round all the Local Government and wards in Kwara Central as well as Kwara North and Kwara South Senatorial districts.

    “I appeal to all beneficiaries to use the materials judiciously. On our part at mandate we shall endeavour to monitor how it is being utilised.”

    The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, was represented by the Magaji Are of Ilorin Alhaji Aremu Zubair hailed the effort of the former Kwara State governor and urged other political office holders to emulate him.

     

  • Landmark Varsity seeks partnership with Kwara on agriculture

    Landmark Varsity seeks partnership with Kwara on agriculture

    Landmark University (LMU)  Omu Aran Kwara State, has paid a courtesy visit to Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Leading the delegation was LMU vice chancellor Prof Aize Obayan and Registrar Dr Daniel Rotimi.

    The visit was to seek possible ‘agricultural marriage’ between government and the institution as both parties share some compatibility in their commitment towards revolutionalising agriculture, said Obayan in her opening remarks.

    Prof Obayan described the agrarian drive of LMU a ‘masterpiece’ that has brought the institution accolades and a testimony of its success. The university which held its third convocation in August, would remain resolute towards restoring the ‘dignity of the black man’ through sustainable agriculture, Obaya added.

    Shewho presented a proposal to the governor on behalf of the institution,  praised Kwara State government for instituting some agricultural programmes that have further portrayed the sector as a serious business. She also identified likely areas of partnership the university is considering with government.

    In his response, Alhaji Abdulfatah, described the proposal of the university as a ‘welcome development’.

    The governor eulogised the Chancellor/Founder Dr David Oyedepo for his contributions to human capital development of Kwara State in particular and the nation in general. He also identified with LMU agrarian drive which according to him, also focuses on resuscitating the nation’s economy.

    The high point of the visit was the presentation of a customised portrait which bears the governor’s portrait  as well as LMU signature.

  • Landmark Varsity seeks partnership with Kwara on agriculture

    Landmark Varsity seeks partnership with Kwara on agriculture

    Landmark University (LMU)  Omu Aran Kwara State, has paid a courtesy visit to Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Leading the delegation was LMU vice chancellor Prof Aize Obayan and Registrar Dr Daniel Rotimi.

    The visit was to seek possible ‘agricultural marriage’ between government and the institution as both parties share some compatibility in their commitment towards revolutionalising agriculture, said Obayan in her opening remarks.

    Prof Obayan described the agrarian drive of LMU a ‘masterpiece’ that has brought the institution accolades and a testimony of its success. The university which held its third convocation in August, would remain resolute towards restoring the ‘dignity of the black man’ through sustainable agriculture, Obaya added.

    Shewho presented a proposal to the governor on behalf of the institution,  praised Kwara State government for instituting some agricultural programmes that have further portrayed the sector as a serious business. She also identified likely areas of partnership the university is considering with government.

    In his response, Alhaji Abdulfatah, described the proposal of the university as a ‘welcome development’.

    The governor eulogised the Chancellor/Founder Dr David Oyedepo for his contributions to human capital development of Kwara State in particular and the nation in general. He also identified with LMU agrarian drive which according to him, also focuses on resuscitating the nation’s economy.

    The high point of the visit was the presentation of a customised portrait which bears the governor’s portrait  as well as LMU signature.

     

  • 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.

  • Kwara to pay workers

    Kwara to pay workers

    The government of Kwara State has said it will pay workers despite its lean purse.

    It added that it will augment the August 2016 federal allocation to local government councils with N180 million to ensure workers were paid.

    Commissioner for Finance Alhaji Demola Banu, who addressed reporters after the August meeting of the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) in Ilorin, yesterday, said the August statutory allocation for the 16 councils stood at N1,014,706,902.57, with an exchange gain difference of N132,284,863.09 and refund of bank charges of N5,680,991.19.

    The commissioner explained that the fund was appropriated in line with laws guiding the local government account, which included LG and LGEA pension N109,255,955.11 (10 per cent), Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the government N59,400,000, among others.

    Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications to the governor Dr. Muideen Akorede restated the government’s commitment to solving the lingering salary crisis.

  • New salary structure for Kwara council workers

    New salary structure for Kwara council workers

    The government of Kwara State yesterday said a new salary structure would be introduced for council workers next month.

    Commissioner for Local Governments, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development Haruna Muhammad addressed reporters in Ilorin, the state capital.

    Muhammad said the salary structure would follow recommendations of the verification panel and that the outcome of the report will determine the policy direction on council administration.

    “The panel submitted its report and it is due for consideration. The government would have loved to start the implementation in July but for time constraints.

    “What determines our salary is the inflow from the federation account. By September, we will start a new salary regime to reflect our findings,” the commissioner said.

    On backlog of council  salaries, Mohammed said the problem would be resolved when the economy improved.

    He described the state’s Joint Allocation Account noting that it accommodated stakeholders from government and labour unions.