OPINION: Is Kwara State Not Being Sold Out? By Abdulmajeed Wahab
Just last month, I read that a company known as “Investment One” will be in charge of some capital projects in Kwara State including our celebrated Geri-Alimi Diamond under- pass. Then I asked, “Do we still have ministry of Works and Housing in our dear state?” Do we have commissioner and Permanent Secretary in this ministry? Is this organization helping Kwara State for free? Who owns this Investment One? Just like the State Government indirectly took over the responsibility of the ministry of Finance through Kwara Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) and almighty Harmony Holdings, the AbdulFatah Ahmed-led administration has taken over the activities of the Works ministry. Investment One will now serve as middle man between the contractors and ministry of Works or what?
As if that is not enough, Just few days ago we got another shocking news that a private company has formally taken over our Kwara Hotel through a Public –Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement. It means our hospitality industry is slipping through our hands also. The Government claimed that the hotel is degenerating and with the current economic situation, the best option would be to allow a private company to bring it back to World-class standard. Then, I asked, who has been in charge of this hotel? Thanks to Google, I found that since 2012 it has been under Harmony Holdings. Then, what went wrong? Are we saying the Government is not generating enough income from this establishment? This PPP needs to be re-examined. We lost Kwara Express, Tshonga farm and now Kwara hotel among others. We lost them because we are not getting feedbacks (expected income).
I am saying this because we are not sure of which one would follow; this Government started by selling the lands that belongs to our established Institutions. From Legal Studies land to that of Government Secondary School Ilorin. We all knew what happened to the land that belongs to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and many others. Now, the State Government is collecting revenue on behalf of the Local Governments, where is the separation of power? I think all these are happening because Kwarans are quiet people.
My humble suggestion is simple let the State Government give us the reasons why our valuable assets cannot be managed by the Government? Explain to the citizens the role of Harmony Holdings in bringing the number one hotel in the State to this degenerating condition. It would also be important if the Government can get financial details of these establishments published.
Stop the direct and indirect sale of Kwara assets.
Abdulmajeed Wahab (abdmajeedwahab@gmail.com), a Taiwan International Graduate Program Ph.D. fellow writes from Taipei, Taiwan.
Cloud Tag: What's trending
Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.
Bahago Pategi LABTOP Amuda Musbau Idowu Aremu Daud Adeshola Shuaibu Yaman Idris Garba Babaloja-General Kola Shittu Dauda Adesola PAACO-PCL Consortium Farouk Salim Afolayan Wasiu Odewale Oba-Solagberu Erubu Oba Zubair Razaq Ayobami Akanbi Yusuf Abdulraheem Olatunji Abdulmumeen Riskat Opakunle Adebayo Salami Kwara State Polytechnic Prince Mahe Abdulkadir Tanke Road Obuh Simeon Ajibola Ahmad Olayiwola Kamaldeen Earlyon Technologies Abdulahi Abubakar Bata Oju Ekun Sarumi Abdulazeez Uthman Abdulrahman Abdullahi Kayode Abdulkadir Jimoh Ahman Pategi NURTW Arinola Lawal Abdulrasaq Alaro AbdulQowiy Olododo KSIRS Folajimi Aleshinloye Abdulganiyu AbdulAzeez CCEPE Sun Qing Rong0 Ayinde Oyepitan Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies Offa Olatunji Bamgbola Salihu Ajibola Ajia Budo Egba Oba Abdulraheem Ilesha Gwanara Road Jide Ashonibare Suleiman Yahya Alapansapa Aisha Buhari Tinubu Legacy Forum Joseph Daudu Kolawole Bashirat Vasolar Consultoria Kabir Shagaya Bisi Kristien Razak Atunwa Iyabo Adewuyi Ifelodun Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation Rotimi Oyedepo Bukola Saraki Sam Okaula Isiaka Oniwa Aisha Ahman Pategi Sayomi Adijat Adebiyi Oniyangi Kunle Sulaiman Bolaji Abdullahi Madawaki Sobi