We’ve made significant impact across Kwara, says gov

No part of Kwara State is without appreciable positive imprints of the ‘Otoge’ administration, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said, adding that significant progress has been made across sectors since 2019.

The governor told newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, that his investments in healthcare, education, rural-urban development, water and workers’ welfare were so significant that emerging data showed a wide gap between what he met and the current situation. 

AbdulRazaq said his administration achieved a lot by working with development partners, who had earlier left the state for lack of support, adding that he was working with SightSavers International to strengthen eyecare in the state. 

Asserting that no electoral ward in the state is without positive traces of his administration, the governor said “project commissioning is hardly a measure of development or performance.”

He listed many of the administration’s completed projects in road, water, health, and education across the state.

“Beyond these, we have many ongoing projects that have been designed towards boosting the economic base of the state. We have visual arts centre, film factory, garment factory, innovation hub and, of course, the International Conference Centre. There are other major projects too, which we will complete this year, including Ilesha Gwanara Road, Tunde Idiagbon Bridge, Adeta-Yebumot Road, Osi-Obbo Road, and the largest squash court in the country, which is eight-winged,” he said.

On the disagreement within the former Otoge allies, AbdulRazaq said it has nothing do with government’s performance or service delivery to the majority of the people, but essentially about issues of political ambition and interests, which he said are legitimate in a democracy.

“Whether in water, rural development, basic education or healthcare or workers’ welfare, we have clearly delivered on our mandate and we continue to do more,” he added.

The governor also spoke on the future of the capital, Ilorin, which he said had been taken care of with the Ilorin City Master Plan – the second of its kind since Kwara became a state in 1967. 

“Most of the growths we have now are unplanned; hence, you have flooding, poor ventilation and lack of green space, among others. The first and only plan of the city was done between 1967 and 1970s. It expired many decades ago without replacement. We have come up with a new one; we are also in the process of designing that of Offa-Oyun axis, Igbomina, Patigi/Edu and Baruten axes of the state,” the governor said.