OPINION: Is Kwara State Not Being Sold Out? By Abdulmajeed Wahab

Date: 2016-10-21

I chose to write on the above subject because of what I can best describe as “indirect selling” of Kwara assets. Recently, the Federal Government of Nigeria thought of selling our National assets so that the proceeds from those sales can be injected directly into the economy while the Government would also not be involved in maintenance of these assets thereby saving taxpayers money for more important projects. As good as this might sound, some of us kicked against it because, we know nothing good will come out of that. At least the FG listened and put the idea on hold. 

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.

Salman Alada     Victor Gbenga Yusuf     John Obuh     Isa Aremu     Iyabo Adisa Ibiyeye     Ayobami Seriki     Baruten     Toyosi Thomas     Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation     Oke-Oyi     Pacify Labs     Olokoba Sulyman     Ilorin.Info     Solomon Edoja     Buari Edun     Chief Of Staff     Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq     PharmAccess Foundation     Salman Suleiman     LABTOP     Yusuf Lanre Badmus     Iyabo Dupe Adekeye     Fatimoh Lawal     Aishat Mohammed Lawal     Durbar     Toyin Falola     Olayinka Are     Edret Sabi Abel     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Joseph Alex Offorjama     Ayodele Olaosebikan     Obayomi Azeez     Ishak Mohammed Sabi     Lafia Aliyu Korasabi     Ben Duntoye     Olatunde Michaels     Kola Bukoye     ASKOMP     Kolo     Bukola Saraki     Senior Staff Union Of Colleges Of Education     Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone     Saka Saadu     MINILS     Imam Gambari     Hausa     Abdulhakeem Adelaja Amao     Kassim Babamale     Yusuf Lawal     Ilorin Airport     NTA Ilorin     Kola Ologbondiyan     Isiaka Yusuf     Ibrahim Orire     Mope Dasuki Belgore     Charles Ibitoye     Akanbi-Oke     Tayo Alao     Monkey Pox     Femi Gbajabiamila     Wahab Isa     Michael Imoudu National Institute For Labour Studies     Sola Saraki Educational Foundation     Oluwatoyin Lukman     Bluenile Associates     Busari Toyin Isiaka     Earlyon Technologies     Kehinde Boyede     ER-KANG Mining     Yakubu Mohammed Abdullahi     KWSIEC     Ilorin Descendants Progressive Union     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     SAPZ Project     Mamman Saba Jibril     Islamic Development Bank     Abdullahi Dasilva Yussuf    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Offa Metropolitan Club     Smart School     Rice Farmers Association Of Nigeria     PAACO-PCL Consortium     Offorjama     Oniwa     Khairat Gwadabe     Kwara State Infrastructure Development Fund     Bello Oyedepo     Adamu Atta     Ajuloopin     Lola Olabayo     Abdulkadri Ahmad Alaiye     Centre For Community Empowerment And Poverty Eradication     Shuaibu Yaman     Olofa Of Offa     Talaka Parapo     Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman     Lanre Badmas     Abdullahi Biffo     ER-KANG Mining     Olatinwo     Bisi Kristien     Vasolar Consortium     Kudirat Arinola Lawal     Kaiama     Wasiu Odewale     Monthly Sanitation Exercise     Mogaji Aare     MalHub     IESA     Rafiu Ajakaye     Olukotun Of Ikotun     Adamu B. Yaqubu     Elelu     Awili Pedro     Iyabo Adisa Ibiyeye     Abdulsalam A. Yusuf     Dumagi     Fola Consultant     Elesie Of Esie     Islamic Development Bank     Pakata Patriots     Charles Ibitoye     Mazars Consulting     Isiaka Abdulrazak     Onilorin Of Ilorin     Arinola Lawal     Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency     Ado Ibrahim     Olaiya Zuberu     Rafiu Olasile     Ilofa     Shoprite     Belgore     Offa Grammer School     Wahab Femi Agbaje     Lanre Issa-Onilu     Michael Ologundea     Yahaya Oloriegbe     Press Release     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Aasiyat Bello Oyedepo     Babajide Ajayi     Imodoye Writer’s Enclave     CCB     Garuba Alikinla Shittu     Obasanjo     Yusuf Ali     Mutawali Of Ilorin     Amina El-Imam     Mahmud Ajeigbe     Tunji Oyawoye     CBT     Gbajabiamila     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Ilorin.Info