Date: 2013-04-25

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has said that the Global Award recently conferred on the state at the International Festival of Corporate Film and TV on Ecology and Sustainable Development in Deauville, France, would strengthen his government to do more for the state.

A documentary film, A Farm For Africa, featuring the Shonga Commercial Farm Project won a prestigious Grand Prix award at the annual Deauville Green Awards in Normandy, France last week. The award followed a 3-day festival during which 200 films from Europe, North American, Africa and Asia, including the Shonga documentary, were screened.

Receiving the award at Government House from his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muideen Akorede, who represented the state at the award presentation, Governor Ahmed thanked God for giving former governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki the vision and mission for development-oriented projects such as the Shonga Farm Project.

The governor said that the award would spur the government to consolidate on its developmental programmes, which are designed to not only better the lot of Kwarans but Nigerians as a whole.

"The award represents what we always strive for which is excellence. As you are all aware, we jump started commercial farming and we are continuously driving this to much greater level that will give us much desired transformed agric environment.

"It is evidence that we are on the right track, we thank God for this and this will strengthen us to do more for Kwara State and indeed Nigeria," Governor Ahmed pledged.