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  • Ahmed submits N124.5b budget proposal

    Ahmed submits N124.5b budget proposal

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed yesterday presented a budget proposal of N124.5 billion to the House of Assembly.

    The ‘Budget of Expansion for Inclusive Prosperity’ dwells on job creation and economic growth.

    The governor said the budget represents an increase of N28.1 billion over this year’s.

    Ahmed said: “We intend to achieve the objectives of this budget through large-scale infrastructural development that builds on existing development, creates direct jobs, empowers small business owners, triggers enhanced commerce and supports industry.

    “Government will establish the Kwara Infrastructure Development Fund to implement a modulated approach in meeting these infrastructure requirements.

    “Within three years, government intends to bridge a third of the identified deficit through rapid development.

    “Furthermore, government will, in the first quarter of next year, create 3,500 jobs and midwife 2,000 youth entrepreneurs through training and access to N200million in affordable revolving credit.

    “Additional details of these new interventions, which also cut across sports, agriculture, energy, health, education, water supply and ICT as well as the funding framework, will be provided at the appropriate time.”

    The budget is made up of Recurrent Expenditure of N48.5 billion, which represents 39 per cent while the Public Debt Servicing is N17.2 billion, which represents 14 per cent.

    The Capital Expenditure is N58.7 billion, representing 47 per cent.

    Of the total projected revenue, the expected Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is N16.9 billion while the Capital receipts and Aid and Grants is N22.3 billion.

    The statutory allocation from the Federation Account is estimated at N44 billion while the expected Excess Crude Account receipt is estimated at N3.1 billion.

    The expected revenue from Value Added Tax (VAT) is estimated at N8.5 billion.

    Ahmed added: “The other anticipated source of revenue for funding the 2014 budget is from a bond of N30 billion to be sourced from the capital market and repaid by 2019.”

  • 200 youths attend Kwara jobs summit

    200 youths attend Kwara jobs summit

    NO fewer than 200 unemployed youths in Kwara State have participated in a-one-day technical summit. The summit was organised by the Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) constituency office.

    The summit theme is ‘youth unemployment in Kwara state: The way forward,’ is aimed at critically examine the problem of youth unemployment and the need to develop entrepreneurship skills in promoting self employment among the youth of the state.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Senator Bukola Saraki, who were both at the summit vowed to, in the next four weeks, provide no less than 5000 jobs to youth in the state.

    They said “it is time federal government declared state of emergency on youth unemployment in the country, just as we have declared a state of emergency on power and security. Until we continue to find a lasting solution to this problem, it cannot he immediate, but we can start a process that will give the youth hope.”

    Said Governor Ahmed: “As the largest component of our population and the inheritors of the future, youths are our most vital resource. We must nurture, support, and prime them for productive engagement through appropriate training and tangible opportunities. Therefore, this technical workshop’s theme-Youth Unemployment in Kwara State: The Way Forward- is a poignant reminder of the challenges facing youths and a clarion call for urgent action.

    “As a youth-focused administration, we have implemented several interventions to get more youths into employment and into business since 2011.

    “For us in Kwara state, the solution to this social challenge is two-pronged. First, we are creating a new crop of youth entrepreneurs through capacity building and access to affordable micro-credit funds on the platform of cooperatives. Not only is the informal sector a major driver of the economy, its multiplier effects include facilitating youth job creators and the emergence of change agents.

    “Second, in line with Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki’s vision for agro-led prosperity in Kwara State, we are assertively promoting youth involvement in agribusiness through targeted training, access to funding and mentorship.

    “I therefore call on Nigerian youths to take up entrepreneurship by leveraging the spaces created by government in the informal sector and in agribusiness.

    To own a successful business is as lucrative as it is liberating. It frees you from the dangers of placing your ladder on someone else’s wall, thus making you the architect of your prosperity.  You are also invited to take advantage of our skill reform, such as the master trainers’ scheme and skill acquisition centers, to gain vital skills.

    “Through these skill reforms, we are standardizing the cost and quality of service in the trades and creating opportunities for apprentices to become self-sufficient. Our new International Vocational Center, Ajasse-Ipo will also play a pivotal role in this regard by establishing Kwara State as the hub for vocational skills. Therein lie the ultimate solutions to the menace of youth unemployment.”

    Saraki, who is the senator representing Kwara central, added that “individuals cannot do it all, you must be ready to seize the opportunity, you must be committed and you must be serious and see it as a journey to success.

    “My hope and dream is that from our discussions, we will find a lasting solution that will provide for jobs for over 5000 people immediately. This will include both entrepreneurship schemes largely and regular white collar jobs.

    The entrepreneurship schemes will provide at the end of the programme a capital take off grants. I will seek the governor’s partnership in coming up with a solution. My idea is we spend the next four weeks reviewing recommendations and putting together a roadmap.”

    Earlier, Director, Youth and Student Affairs, ABS office, Alhaji Nasiru Subair said “it is an understatement to say how pervasive the problem of youth unemployment is in our society. Governments at all levels and individuals have been making pragmatic efforts in addressing this big challenge.

    “The summit is about changing the mindset of our youth from seeking white collar jobs which are no longer forthcoming to that of gainful self-employments where youth themselves will become employers of labour in the state.

    “The summit will expose the youth to a wide range of business opportunities and also skills involved in preparing good business plans and proposals that will enable them access credit facilities in financial institutions.”

    Subair added that the purpose of the summit was to create a synergy between the government, the unemployed youth and financial institutions.

    Said he: “It is intended to create progressive rapour between all stakeholders in resolving youth unemployment in the state in particular and Nigeria in general.

    “I wish to use this opportunity to appeal to our youths to make the best use of the opportunity and develop the right attitude towards this project. You should concentrate on business plans of your best interest with a special passion in order to obtain the greatest advantage of this programme. Whatever plans you develop will be critically looked into to assist in securing facilities for the implementation.

    The constituency office will develop effective follow-up system of your various business interests to continually measure the degree of performance. I wish to also appeal to the government to provide the conducive environment and necessary infrastructure that will fast track the process of assisting our youth to be self-employed.”

     

  • Car crushes five kids to death

    Car crushes five kids to death

    Toyota Camry car on Tuesday crushed five children to death in Ilorin, Kwara State.

    Two other victims are said to be receiving treatment at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH).

    The accident, involving the car and a Toyota Hiace bus, took place at Elekoyangan and Anfeyin communities on old Jebba road.

    Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred at 9.30pm when the Camry rammed into a stationary bus parked by the roadside, before hitting the children and killing five of them instantly.

    Angered by the incident, members of the communities, who include students of the State Polytechnic, Ilorin, carried out a protest yesterday.

    This obstructed movement on the busy road and paralysed academic activities at the polytechnic and other schools in the neighbourhood.

    It was gathered that the driver of the Camry lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the victims, who were walking by the road side.

    A member of one of the communities, Isiaka Rahman, said: “This is a sad incident. Our children- Abdulfatai, Sodiq, Fatai Kososi, Jamiu Mogaji, and Jamiu – were killed in the accident; Shola and Gafar are in a coma.

    “As we embark on a peaceful protest, policemen suddenly came shooting sporadically at our houses.

    “We had to run, they fired tear gas at us. This made the youths to set bon fire on the road.

    “Although the vehicle that caused the havoc was immediately set ablaze, the driver and two others escaped.”

    Police Commissioner Agboola Glover-Oshodi confirmed the incident and urged the indigenes to remain calm.

    He added that men and officers of the state command would remain on the scene until normalcy returns.

    Glover-Oshodi, however, sympathised with the family and warned youths not take laws into their hands.

  • NSSF officials commend Kwara Goverment

    NSSF officials commend Kwara Goverment

    Officials of the National School Sport Federation (NSSF) have praised the Kwara State Government for hosting the sixth National School Sports Festival successfully.

    NSSF President Ibrahim Muhammed told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone on Wednesday that the government did a good job to ensure that talents were discovered at the event.

    He thanked Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for making sure that the facilities used were standard and the event devoid of any sordid incident, even when the notice to host was short.

    Muhammed also praised the Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, for his passion for the development of the youths and support for the successful hosting of the festival.

    “The participants are happy with the Kwara State government because they enjoyed themselves. Events were well competed for and in a free and fair manner,” he said.

    The NSSF president also said that the media, security agencies in the state and government officials contributed to the success of the fiesta.

    The Secretary of the federation, Mrs Olabisi Joseph, in her reaction, said the government made their dreams realisable, noting that the state government had expressed its readiness to host the event anytime it was called upon.

    “If not for the Kwara State government, we wouldn’t have discovered the five-year-old and the youngest medallist at the Games, so far. I must thank the government for giving Nigerian children a chance to show their talents,’’ Joseph said.

    She added that the federation would strive to ensure that the event would be held annually, to make for adequate sports development at the grassroots.

    Also reacting, the Kwara Director of Sports, Tunde Kazeem, told NAN that the support given by the government resulted in the huge turnout of states for the event.

    Kazeem, who also served as Chairman of the festival’s Technical Committee, praised the athletes who represented Kwara for not trying to win at all costs, as hosts. He said the state government’s investment in the U-12 and U-15 football teams was not in vain, as they won gold medals and urged the teams to keep the flag flying.

    NAN reports that the Kwara U-12 team will represent Nigeria at the Nestle Africa U-13 Championship in Kenya next year.

    Kwara finished fifth on the medals table with 16 gold, 21 silver and 30 bronze medals at the 10-day Games that ended on November 30 at the Kwara Stadium, Ilorin.

  • Kwara APC welcomes nPDP

    Kwara APC welcomes nPDP

    Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State yesterday said they were prepared to accept the Senator Bukola Saraki-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into APC, urging the new members to respect the APC’s structure.

    Speaking with reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, an APC chieftain, Rev. Bunmi Olusona, said: “The Bukola Saraki-led PDP is welcome to theAPC. We urge the group to abide by the terms of the people it met on ground. They cannot tell us that we have no structure. They cannot dictate to us, as we laboured to build the party.”

    Olusona, who was a caretaker committee member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state, said: “We were shocked to read in the papers comments attributed to the Kwara PDP chairman. We think it is only fair to address him now as former chairman, since they have formally ditched the PDP, Alhaji Ishola Fulani, that the APC to which they have purportedly defected has no structure in Kwara State and that anyone who wants to be part of the party (APC) should and must come to them.”

    Former Secretary of the nPDP in the state Prince Afolayan said the party never said the APC had no formidable structure in the state.

    He said: “The party chairman was probably quoted out of context. APC remains a credible option to the PDP, as it houses progressive minds. The merger will ensure an all inclusive administration in the state that will consolidate the current transformation and deliver more dividends of democracy.”

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Bashir O. Bolarinwa, said the people would benefit from the merger.

    Bolarinwa said: “It is on this strength that we enjoin our teeming followers in Kwara State to be steadfast and never be discouraged, as we shall continue in the struggle for political and economic freedom of our people. The interest of the state should be paramount in our minds. The development will never place one above the other, but allow a robust contest within the party.

    “ We are committed to the ideals of the founders of APC, which is to rescue the nation from perpetual poverty, high handedness in power and economic deprivation.

    “As the popular saying goes that running from pillar to post cannot solve the incursion of an enemy. If you run away from Ila, who says you won’t meet another one in Ilala? We have a responsibility to build the party together and entrench the principles of fair play and equity, where the pride of every member will be guaranteed.”

  • NASCOM praises Kwara over NSSF

    The Chairman of the Nigeria Academicals School Sports Committee (NASCOM), Yemi Idowu has praised the contribution of Kwara State in ensuring that the sixth National School Sports Festival (NSSF) holds.

    In a chat with journalists on Saturday at the Kwara Stadium, Idowu said the level of support accorded the organisers coupled with the facilities in place remains a big surprise to him.

    “Kwara State is one of the biggest surprises for me. Having a one stop facility of this nature made it easy for us. Indoor sports halls, wonderful pitches and even a Cricket pitch here. We got disappointed by Akwa Ibom State and we took solace in Kwara and there’s this revelation that lots of things are happening outside Lagos.”

    Idowu said everyone is involved in sports, adding that the fact one does not win a medal when running to catch a bus does not make the person less an athlete.

    “Some of us have been privileged to have a background of structured sports. NASCOM is particularly interested in school sports, children from age 17 downwards. Once a child is 18, 19 there’s really not much progression.

    When you take a child of nine years you can manage their progress as they graduate into the elite sports.

    “You get the joy on seeing how that child responds to training or instructions, the behaviour of the child and how the character evolves and that gives me a lot of satisfaction and that is why I am particularly involved with grassroots sports.

    “We will grow out the problem of sports in Nigeria. Instead of worrying over what is happening let’s start an agenda to grow out the problem and what school sports represents. Focus on the children for the future, pay attention to the children and the problems will grow out naturally.

    He said there has been a resurgence of school sports in the Northern part of the country which is incredible.

    He said: “The president paid attention to national issues and felt academic sports is what should be revived in Nigeria and so the minister went out to choose the right people to fill the respective positions as administrators. So, NASCOM is a small part of a bigger agenda which is Nigerian sports”

  • Kwara FA apologises to fans over Kwara United’s relegation

    Kwara FA apologises to fans over Kwara United’s relegation

    The Kwara Football Association has apologised to football fans in the state for the ugly incident which led to Kwara United FC being ordered to Lokoja during the 2012/2013 season.

    The apology was contained in the communique of its stakeholders’ meeting of Wednesday, issued on Thursday in Ilorin. The Ilorin-based Kwara United were ordered to Lokoja after C. I. D. Durunna, the second assistant referee in their Week 29 fixture against Warri Wolves, was beaten up by fans. The match was played at the Kwara Stadium in Ilorin on Aug. 31.

    The communique, signed by Isaac Oloruntoba, the meeting’s Communique Drafting Committee Chairman, said the apology was on behalf of the management and players of Kwara United.

    It thanked Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara and Sen. Bukola Saraki, a former governor of the state, for their commitment to football development in the state. The communique described the relegation of Kwara United and ABS FC of Ilorin, which is owned by Saraki, as unfortunate.

    “We urge stakeholders to seek ways to address the issues which led to the relegation. There is also the need to bring the culprits to book,’’ it said.

    The communique urged the two Ilorin-based Kwara United and ABS as well as other clubs to eschew unhealthy rivalry and see themselves as one in the spirit of sportsmanship.

    The communique also appealed to the Kwara Government and Saraki, who are the proprietors of the two clubs respectively, to continue to support them and football development generally. It called for the constant education of spectators and club supporters on the need for peaceful conduct before, during and after matches.

    The communique further urged the state government and football institutions in the state to engage professionals in the management of the game.

    It congratulated Taiwo Awoniyi, a member of the victorious Golden Eaglets at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who is an indigene of the state. The communique appealed to the government to honour him.

  • Security agencies ignore Tukur’s letter on Kwara council poll

    Security agencies ignore Tukur’s letter on Kwara council poll

    •Voters apathy mars election 

    Security agencies in Kwara State yesterday ignored a letter from the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, where he complained candidates presented by his faction were not endorsed for the poll.

    The election went on as scheduled, although turn out by voters was low across the state.

    Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed belongs to the Kawu Baraje-led faction of the PDP.

    Tukur had asked the security agencies, especially the police, not to provide security for the poll or recognise the candidates of the New PDP because, as he claimed, they did not emerge from proper primaries.

    Baraje, who is a Kwaran, was in Ilorin to participate in the voting exercise.

    He mocked Tukur on the letters, saying: “I can see security men here and there. They are very much around. I was coming from GRA to my family house here. They stopped me in about three or four places and they are security operatives doing their job.

    “I slept very late yesterday (Friday) putting finishing touches to the election with other stakeholders and our leader, Bukola Saraki.

    “The party did not tell us they received any letter, the security did not tell us they received any letter. Let me quickly point out again that we were here about two months ago to prepare for this election and to receive officials from the national secretariat of the PDP whom we have written to, to send in its team to come and screen these candidates for today. And they’ve screened them. There are correspondences. These correspondences are available in the secretariat of PDP, Kwara State.”

    He told reporters that the solution to the crisis in the PDP would come “once there is stoppage to impunity, lawlessness, disorderliness and the whims and caprices being perpetrated by the present leadership, the so-called leadership of Bamanga Tukur.”

    He said five more PDP governors would soon swell the ranks of the present seven governors.

    He spoke shortly after casting his vote in his Moggaji Ngeri polling unit at the council election.

    The election itself was marred by a low turnout of voters across 15 local government areas of the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that only a few voters were sighted at the numerous polling units in Ilorin metropolis.

    Only the ruling PDP, the Labour Party (LP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) contested the election.

    While some of the residents attributed the development to the scanty information on candidates vying for the various offices, others blamed it on apathy.

    Polling units which recorded a sizeable number of voters were those located in the wards of political appointees and leaders of parties contesting in the poll.

    Many of such voters were sighted in company of party leaders who turned out to cast their votes while the restriction on vehicular movement was not strictly enforced.

    Commercial motor cycle operators were also sighted going about their normal businesses while some artisans opened their shops for business.

    At Pake polling unit in Ilorin East Local Government, there were only a few voters as at 8.00 am when accreditation and voting commenced.

    The Assistant Electoral Officer in Ilorin East Local Government, Mr. Muritala Ayilara, said that election materials had been distributed to the various wards.

    In Kosubosu, headquarter of Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara, many residents opted to go to their farms rather than participate in the local government election.

    Despite the restriction of vehicular movement during the election by the state government, residents were sighted going about their normal businesses.

    Many shops were also opened for business in most communities in the border area.

    Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari, a resident of Gure , told NAN that residents preferred to go to their farms because the poll was perceived as “a one party affair.”

    “There is no opposition in the election, so why should people waste their time.

    The APC opted out of the poll because “a matter challenging the validity, legality and the constitutionality of the proposed election is subjudice and pending before the court for determination.”

    Its suit to stop the conduct of the poll was dismissed on Friday by a Kwara State High Court, Ilorin.

     

  • Court dismisses attempt to stop today’s Kwara council poll

    Court dismisses attempt to stop today’s Kwara council poll

    AN Ilorin High Court yesterday dismissed an order seeking to restrain the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) from conducting today’s council election in the state. The All Progressives Congress (APC) had approached the court for “an order of injunction restraining KWSIEC from conducting any election on the 26th day of October 2013 into the various Kwara State local government councils when a matter challenging the validity, legality and the constitutionality of the proposed election is subjudice and pending before the court for determination. “And an order restraining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and Independent Democrats- 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants- from holding out themselves or preventing themselves or participating in the 26th October proposed local government council election when the validity of their participation is a subjudice.” In a ruling which spanned about hour, Justice Suleiman Kawu said that “the applicants have failed to satisfy me in stopping the conduct of the election. For this reason the case is hereby dismissed.” Justice Kawu added that “it is almost impossible to grant the order of injunction without necessarily delving into the substantive case. I have no doubt in my mind that the applicants are guilty of delay as the case suffered several adjournments at their instance.” He observed that notice for the proposed election was given to the applicants in May this year, adding that the applicants did not file their case until August this year. But a chieftain of the APC, Comrade Sola Iji said today’s council election would be a contest by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Comrade Iji who was the chair of the caretaker committee of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), added that: “We have listened to the decision of the court in the application. What we expect is that opportunity should be given to all the political parties to participate in the election and that was why we came with this application; that was why we came to court in the first instance.

  • Kwara local govt poll: ‘PDP has candidates in all councils’

    The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said it has chairmanship and councillorship candidates in all the 15 local government areas and the 181 wards.

    The national headquarters of the party reportedly disowned the candidates presented to the state Independent Electoral Commission (KWSIEC) for tomorrow’s local government election.

    The PDP Chairman Isola Balogun-Fulani, who addressed reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, dismissed the national secretariat’s alleged claim as false.

    In the presence of major officials of the party, the party chairman said the PDP held the primary from ward to local government levels, as stipulated in the party’s guidelines for the elections.