Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Kwara State, Muideen ‘Femi Akorede, in this interview with News Editor, SoLA ALABADAN, spoke on the achievements of the Abdulfatah Ahmed’s administration in the state and other crucial issues. Excerpts:

What were the strategies employed by the Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s administration for success since inception in 2011?

First and foremost, the present dispensation in Kwara under the leadership of Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed made it a point of duty to institute a government of inclusion and continuity. At inception, it did a homework on how the people of the state, especially the people at the grassroots level wished to be governed and what their immediate needs were. Findings from this indicated strongly that education, healthcare, youth employment and empowerment were frontal of the people’s needs. This made government embark on strategies to fire up developments in these areas.

Also, rather than jettison projects embarked upon and uncompleted by its predecessor, the administration carried on with the projects to conclusion within the shortest period of time. These formed the basis of the administration’s achievements since inception in 2011.

Briefly outline some achievements in these areas you mentioned?

The achievements of the administration are numerous. But for the purpose of this interview, I would mention a few. In the education sector, over 400 classrooms at the primary and secondary school levels have been rehabilitated, while free and expanded education has been offered at secondary school level throughout the state. The teachers at these levels have also not been left out of care as their salaries and other entitlements are readily taken care of despite the nearly 40 per cent slash in monthly allocation to the state by the Federal Government. As a matter of fact, the governor has been very popular among teachers to the point that he has been given the title of ‘Senior Advocate of Teachers’. I should not forget to mention the ultramodern and world-class International Vocation Centre at Ajasse-Ipo, which is affiliated with the City and Guilds, London, which would soon be the hub for vocational skills in the West African sub-region.

On youth employment and empowerment, a lot has been done by the administration, especially in reaction to the common slogan by our people – ‘help our children to get jobs’. Within 100 days in office, the government had employed 2,000 youths and trained hundreds of individuals under the youth entrepreneurship programme established by the state. Youth entrepreneurship has also been promoted through support with inputs and finance at the micro, small and medium scale enterprises levels apart from capacity enhancements through skills acquisition and vocational trainings. In all, about 10,200 jobs have been created in four years to cater for youth empowerment.

On healthcare, remodelling and rehabilitation of five general hospitals and 14 primary health centres; supply of drugs and equipment to 43 primary health centres and blood banks to 21 PHCs have been achieved, apart from the community health insurance scheme that covers over 60 per cent of the population. A world-class and ultramodern diagnostic centre now adorns the state’s general hospital.

In what other sectors has the government delivered democracy dividends to the people?

On water supply, the Pepele waterworks has been rehabilitated to serve seven communities while 17 waterworks have also been upgraded and 330 boreholes sunk to aid water supply. There is also an on-going project to ensure all homes have pipe-borne water before the end of 2015.

On agriculture, the Shonga Farm is thriving as an investment between the government, a consortium of banks and the New Nigerian farmers. N215 million has also been granted to 170 out grower farmers in revolving micro-credit, thereby creating a new generation of agribusiness men for the state.

Under road rehabilitation and construction, all inherited and dispensation’s projects have been completed while for electricity supply, 136 transformers have been installed to serve 189 communities, among others numerous for mentioning.

Much has been said about the state’s Shared Prosperity programme. In what ways has it affected the people’s lives?

The Shared Prosperity programme was initiated by this administration with a major aim of ensuring that the dividends accruable to the state are benefitted from by all and sundry, including the resource-poor indigenes. The present government, in its show of openness accountability and forthrightness makes it a point of duty to ensure that resources generated internally and otherwise are put into good ventures to generate outcomes that would be shared by all. Majority of the aforementioned programmes are actually products of the state’s Shared Prosperity programme, which makes it needless to further dwell on the benefits from it to the people of the state.

How has the defection of your governor and allies to the APC affected the administration and people of the state?

The present administration in Kwara State is tested in its ability to deliver the goods to the people and the people in turn, have the undaunted spirit of followership that appreciates good leadership. Inasmuch as the people have the conviction that they would not be led astray, they allow their trusted leaders to direct them to the favourable and right paths. The leadership in the state realised that the principles the All Progressives Congress (APC) stood for tallied with its conscientious and well laid down programmes for the growth and development of the state. I confidently can say that since the defection, the state has been running smoothly and followership has been progressively enhanced.

The electioneering process in some states of the federation has been fraught with skirmishes of violence, how has it been in Kwara?

The outbreak of strife cannot be totally ruled out at this period. But what is most important is for all stakeholders on the different political platforms to come together and promised to ensure that peace reigns as much as possible during the period. Fortunately, we have achieved that in Kwara and as you know, ours is a relatively peaceful land where people still remember that they are kith and kin, irrespective of political affiliations. This is one of the major reasons we are confident to assure all and sundry that here in Kwara, it is good.