Hammed Shittu writes on the efforts by the Kwara State government to attract investors to the state through infrastructural development, in a bid to enhance the wellbeing of the people

Infrastructures development remains one of the major tools to measure socio-economic growth of any society.
It also helps to mark the standard of living of the people so that the less-privileged people in the society can feel the impact of governance; thereby reducing poverty level of the members of the society.

Such infrastructures development may be through roads, water, health, education, among others. That is the reason  every level of government, be it local, state and federal, always strive harder to meet up with this challenge posed by infrastructure, so as to bring governance to the doorsteps of the people; thereby accelerating the socio well-being of the society.

Sharp Focus
It is on this premise that the present administration in Kwara state, under the leadership of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, since assumption of office almost three years ago has been working round the clock to ensure that infrastructures development of the state are created and maintained to ensure the wellbeing of the rural populace in the state.

When he assumed office as the 8th executive governor of the State of Harmony called Kwara, governor Ahmed, who was elected under the platform tagged ‘Legacy Continues' started in earnest to ensure that all the infrastructural projects left behind by the immediate past administration of former governor Bukola Saraki, now representing Kwara central senatorial district at the National Assembly, were given due recognition by ensuring the projects were completed before another ones are put on consideration for implementation.

Road Projects
Among such projects completed under review include roads like Offa Garage-Asa dam road, Challenge-Post office road, and Sulu Gambari- Post office road.

Others include  Pakata Sooto- Anifowose Market Road, Ilorin, Oro-Ijumu Oro Road,  Obbo-Ile -Isapa Road,  Igosun-Awere Road Lafiagi-Chewuru Road, Owode - Ofaro Road,  Oro-Ago - Oke-Oyan Road, Patigi-Rogun Kpada Road, Patigi  Extension of Lubcon-Wara Express Road. Kaiama General Hospital Road, Share-Oke-Ode Road, Offa-Ipe Road, Arandun-Rore-Aran-Orin-Ipetu Road, and Kulende - Oyun Bridge Road, Ilorin among others. In all, government completed 40 rural roads covering a total of 377 kilometres last year.

Water Provision
The state also embarked on the completion of Ilorin water reticulation projects that would assist the entire people of the state to have access to constant supply of water to all.

Apart from this, the government also rehabilitated the existing dams to ensure that water gets to the doorsteps of the people without any hindrance like Pepele water works and provision of over 120 boreholes to rural communities to ease water supply problem to the citizens.

Among water works embarked are Rogun, Megida, Ilesha-Baruba, Kaiama, Gwanara, Lafiagi, Afon, Ojoku, Agbeyangi, Pampo, Obbo-Aiyegunle, and Ajasse-Ipo. In addition, reconstruction work on Share/Tsaragi water works also worked on for the benefit of the people of the state.

Health Strides
For the health sector, the state government commenced comprehensive rehabilitation of the General Hospitals at Ilorin, Offa, Omu-Aran, Kaiama and Share, which are currently being equipped in readiness for unveiling and use.  So far, a total sum of N2.45 billion has been expended on the rehabilitation of these General Hospitals.

Similarly, four Primary Health Centres were renovated at Okeso, Rifun, Ilesha-Baruba and Balogun Fulani, while two Primary Health Centres were constructed at Maya Ile-Apa and Ajanaku.  Furthermore, medical waste incinerators were constructed at Lafiagi, Oro, Okuta and Afon General Hospitals as well as Civil Service Clinic, Ilorin and the Cottage Hospital, Ilesha-Baruba.

Skills Acquisition
In a bid to ensure that the state education system produces self-reliant students whose skill sets to match international standards, the government intensified the construction work at International Vocational Centre, Ajasse-Ipo during the outgoing fiscal year. 
About N1.2 billion has been expended on the project, which is currently at 80 per cent completion level. When completed, the centre will provide the youths with excellent training moderated by City and Guilds of London, thus making them employable locally and internationally.

Light Supply
Also, in the field of energy, tremendous progress was recorded in the electrification of towns and villages, transformer dropping and rehabilitation of streetlights.  Eleven rural communities were connected to the National Grid while broken down networks and vandalised sub-stations were restored across the State. In the same vein, thirty-nine distribution transformers of various ratings were procured and distributed across the sixteen Local Government Areas.

The state government also completed three street light projects at Offa Garage Road, Abdul Azeez Attah Road, and Tanke Junction to University of Ilorin which have further enhanced the aesthetic beauty of the State capital and improved security along the affected streets at night.

These projects were undertaken between 2011 and 2013 by the administration and they had witnessed a new look in the state. Besides, the people of the state, both at home and outside, have been making use of these projects for their various benefits; thereby boosting the socio economic development of the state.

Consolidation Moves
However, as the year 2014 rolls on, the administration has strategised at ensuring consolidation of the infrastructural development of the state by planning to establish Kwara Infrastructure Development Fund that would ensure the total development of the infrastructural development of the state; be it in education, health, water, roads, among others.

All the planned infrastructural development in this new year was captured in the 2014 budget of the state and as soon as the state lawmakers passed the budget into law, the administration would commence work on these projects so as to add values to the socio economic growth of the state and also to bring more dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of Kwarans.

In achieving the above stated goal, the administration is poised to source for N30billion from the capital market to finance and implement deficit in infrastructures for the overall benefits of Kwarans. The outcome is the identification of a statewide infrastructural deficit that will also require at least N300 billion to be filled. Some of the areas said to be deficient in infrastructure cut across sports, agriculture, energy, health, education, water supply and ICT.
Furthermore, the state government said it would in the first quarter of 2014 create 3,500 new jobs and midwife 2,000 new youth entrepreneurs; through training and access to N200 million in affordable revolving credit, in an employment programme called Quick Win.
As highlighted in 2014 financial year sectoral policies and programmes, the State government will facilitate the procurement and installation of 30 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at strategic locations in Ilorin metropolis and environs to strengthen security situation in the state.
In addition to rehabilitation of police posts, the state government says five police posts are to be established and equipped in selected Local Government Area Headquarters to enhance the safety of lives and property.

Governor Speaks
Speaking on the infrastructure development of the state in 2014, governor Ahmed said his administration intends to achieve the budget through large-scale infrastructural development that builds on existing development, creates direct jobs, empowers small business owners, triggers enhanced commerce and supports industry.

He said, based on these aspirations, the 2014 budget seeks to intensify development through the completion of ongoing projects in line with current financial outlook; to significantly reduce youth unemployment through direct jobs, public works, functional education and entrepreneurship.
Ahmed added that, apart from this, the budget is also targeted at enhancing prudent financial management and continuous improvement in the revenue base for reduced dependence on federation account and also to bridge the infrastructure gap through major public works while boosting growth and supporting business.

On the plan to set up an Infrastructure Development Fund to provide a pool of funds to finance a holistic infrastructure development of the state, Ahmed said "the State needs about N300 billion for the up-scaling of infrastructure in the state to an acceptable standard." 
According to him, this was why the state government was in the capital market to raise N30billin to support infrastructural needs, such as electricity, water, energy, education and security critical to the development of Kwara State.

Ahmed said his administration would also employ 5,000 youths under the QuickWin Intervention Programme in different sectors such as public works, artisan training among others, adding that another 2,000 youths would be employed by the Teaching Service Commission and the mainstream civil service to address the issue of shortfall in personnel occasioned by retirements of civil servants.

By and large, with this move to address the infrastructures development of the state in this new fiscal year, it would accelerate the socio economic development of the state and also allow investors to come down to Kwara to invest.
This will in turn create employment opportunities for the teeming youths of the state; thereby reducing social vices among the young populace. A worthy venture, many would agree.