Date: 2019-09-23

The Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Salihu Yakubu Danladi has called on the relevant stakeholders to forge a common front for the development of the Northern part of Kwara State, which he described as the most backward of the three Senatorial Districts in Kwara state.

Hon. Danladi made this call over the weekend, while paying homage to traditional rulers in Edu-Patigi axis of the Kwara-North Senatorial District, where he visited HRH. Saadu Kawu Haliru, HRH. Umar Bologi, and HRH. Dr. Haliru Yahyah of Lafiaji, Pategi and Tsonga Emirates respectively.

He equally made an unscheduled visit to the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) training centre, a world bank assisted youth employment and empowerment programme, holding at College of Education Technical Lafiagi, where trainees drawn from Baruten, Kaiama and Isin are being trained on different vocation.

The Speaker, while addressing the traditional rulers in their various palaces emphasized the need to bring all stakeholders in Kwara North together for a summit that will torchlight the developmental pathways for the Senatorial district and take it out of the retrogression it is among comity of Districts in Kwara state.

The lecturer turn politician said "it is unfortunate that in the whole of Kwara North, we don't have a standard school, no standard hospital, our road networks are bad, our youths are jobless and our people who are largely farmers are suffering helplessly. This is not the time to fight or point accusing fingers at anybody, rather we should ask questions why despite the opportunities our sons have had in the past, our situations remain unchanged".

"Our traditional institutions have a lot to do in bringing political and relevant stakeholders together, to look beyond political sentiments and personal interests for us to deliberate on the way forward for the development of Kwara North. We must set developmental agenda for the Senator, House of Representative members, House of Assembly members and political appointees at different levels from Kwara North and not just diffuse influence for our personal interests".

He added that "on our part, we will always consult the traditional institutions on how we can better serve the people, while we have also initiated periodic retreat between ourselves and State legislators and our counterparts at the National Assembly".

The Etsu Lafiagi, Etsu Patigi and Etsu Tsonga in their separate remarks, thanked the Speaker and the 9th Assembly members for finding it worthy to pay homage and revere the traditional institutions in the State, while also assuring him and the Governor of their unalloyed support for the fulfilment of the long desired change in Kwara North and Kwara State as a whole.

Among the Speaker's entourage to the visitation on the Royal fathers include Honourables Mohammed Ndamusa Guyegi, Saidu Ahmed Rufai and Mohammed Baba Salihu, representing Lafiagi.