Date: 2016-09-14

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has told kwarans that he feels the pain and hardship the people are going through as a result of current national economic downturn.

"I'm concerned; I'm touched. I feel more than you feel because I'm supposed to make you happy and comfortable, even if it means making myself uncomfortable", Governor Ahmed said.

Governor Ahmed, who said this in Ilorin when he received the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari CFR, said contractors engaged by the state government have been mobilised with a sum N1.7b in line with its resolve to cushion effects of the economic recession through enhanced infrastructure development in the State.

The Governor assured the people that the state government's newly introduced Kwara Infrastructure Fund would ensure that contractors who queue into the programme are henceforth paid quarterly upon certification of the quality of their works.

According to Governor Ahmed, the newly procured asphalt plants by the government would soon be commissioned "all bad roads across the state would soon be fixed while new ones constructed".

On mass transportation and health, Ahmed said 12 luxurious buses are being procured to ply major roads across the state while accessing N700m would be accessed from the World Bank that would be channelled into primary healthcare to carter for mothers and children.

The Governor who attributed the increase in the execution of projects to a reduction in the cost of governance by 40 percent, gave an assurance that the state government would create more jobs, rather than sack workers.

Earlier, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr) Gambari who called on Nigerians to "pray for the success of our leaders as their actions or in actions will impact on the general well being of the citizenry", advised government to pay more attention to agriculture in order to ensure sustainable food security in the country.