Date: 2016-08-15

On May 29, 2011, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed took over the reins as executive governor of Kwara state. From the onset it was clear his election was going to offer a critical challenge mainly because he was succeeding, Dr. Bukola Saraki, a man who had unarguably created a niche for himself in the history of men who have been privileged to sit on the Governor's seat at the Lodge along Ahmadu Bello Way.

For Ahmed, the challenge was even doubled given that he had been part of the Saraki administration for an unbroken eight years, assisting to actualise the dreams of his then boss from his portfolio as Commissioner for Finance and later commissioner for Planning and Economic Development. Thus, what the new governor needed to do from the onset was to think outside the box, to create new paradigms which would evolve into workable platforms that would further enhance the economic viability of the state. The task was therefore very clear right from the onset for Ahmed and himself being a pragmatic manager of men and resources wasted no time in delving into the nittty gritty of what was to be done.

He made references to this again when he met with the board and management of Harmony Holdings Limited last week during a retreat organised for them to, once again, think outside the box as an entity created to add value to the economic status of Kwara state. It is interesting to note that the Holdings itself is a product of the innovative approach that Alhaji Ahmed has brought into the administration of the state, an approach he reminded the participants has become unavoidable for any state that wishes to wean itself off the apron of Abuja .

Hear him: "When we came in 2011 we saw clearly that there are lots of government's assets that were tied down; that were degenerating in value. Secondly, not earning anything for government at a time governance is racing from the era when we go cap in hands to the federal government to collect federation allocation, can no longer be sustained. Governance is moving to an era where a state's growth and development will be premised on its resourcefulness and prudence.

"Hence, we saw the need to take all asserts of government that are idle into an institution that will professionally run them to not only generate the much desired revenue to support state development but also form a platform to drive the general economic activities in the state, especially stimulating and supporting the private sector based. On this, a bill was sent to the House of assembly to create a platform named Harmony Holdings Limited to help galvanize all the non earning asset into a working revenue generating tool for government.

"We are all aware of what normally goes in when you are transiting from a wholly government owned outfit to an outfit designed to be professionally run in a private sector like manner. We have seen challenges that have come with that transition, but I think that there's still a lot more room for improvement, though, I must say that we have achieved 60 per cent of our dream".

But the innovative approach of this administration is not limited to the Holdings. For instance, the Ministry of Works has been restructured in such to be more effective in performing its core duties. It now has an asphalt plant. The essence is that instead of waiting to buy asphalt from Ibadan and Akure, Kwara State now produces its Asphalt giving it advantage of economic of scale in road maintenance. The impact of this innovation will soon be noticed when the installation is completed. With the asphalt plant a significant amount of resources will be saved while road rehabilitation and reconstruction will be completed in record time.

Again, looking at the wastage that was clearly noticeable in the use of available land resources in the state capital, the Ahmed administration has embarked on what could be termed profitable reclamation of land. For instance, the vast land available at the Ministry of Agriculture was literally wasting away and being used as hideouts by criminals creating additional burden for law enforcement agencies. The government has been able to halt this by selling off plots in the area and has through this created a new set of residential layout that has added value to the state, both in terms of aesthetics but more importantly in terms of economic additions.

The same approach was introduced to the Government Secondary School (GSS) land area. The school is a very important heritage of Kwara state given the array of its products that have served or are serving in critical public and private sectors . But the vast land where it sits can no longer be justified given the reduction in its population and non existence of boarding system. The land mass was thus reduced, fenced off and converted into a vast business centre. Though yet to be completed, the proceeds from the conversion is ploughed back to the development of the school. Not a dime of it comes into the government coffer. What has been done to GSS, is being proposed for the former Ilorin Teachers' College. How else can a government be responsive, innovative and proactive in the face of unsustainable federal allocation?

Why all these? Ahmed explained during the retreat for Harmony Holdings leadership in these words: "As a country that got independence from the British as a result of low economic capacity, government got involved in setting up companies in addition to driving public service. But as things began to change, the middle class began to be created. People began to improve on capacities. It became necessary for government, especially looking at the global trend to ease its presence in the private sector related organizations and concentrate on the system of governance, thus, allowing private individuals with requisite experience to truly drive the private sector for economic growth."

It is clear that with Ahmed at the helms of affairs, thinking outside the box has become a norm. The chairman, board of Directors of the Holdings, His Royal highness, Prof. Halidu Abubakar, said the administration can be credited with starting what the ordinary mind would call crazy ideas but which soon metamorphose into profitable realities. His words: "The concept of Harmony Holdings came into fruition out of the vision of His Excellency "and over the years he has actually brought us into the fold. I must say some of his ideas are those ideas you will think are just crazy, but again, as we know, most management innovation, technological innovations come in as a result of an individual's "craziness of ideas". Over time, that crazy idea becomes the norm and it becomes what everybody wants to follow."

But if Harmony Holdings Limited evolved out of "craziness of ideas" by Governor Ahmed, what do we call the creation of Kwara State Internal Revenue Service that has resulted into generation of over 100% increase in the state's IGR? Management by innovation and resourcefulness? The same resourcefulness that enabled him prudently manage the state's resources as to be able to pay salaries of workers in the state civil service at a time other more buoyant states executives bemoaned their inability to meet this contractual obligation.

It can be safely said that soon, a new idea will emerge from governor Ahmed. Some may call it crazy and denounce it on their social media platforms, but soon, very soon, it will begin to yield profit for the state and then, what would they say? It is called thinking outside the box. May Kwara State continue to grow from strength to strength.

Abdulwahab Oba is the chief press secretary to the Kwara State Governor.