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  • Gov AbdulRazaq Presents 12 New Toyota Jeeps To Judges

    Gov AbdulRazaq Presents 12 New Toyota Jeeps To Judges

    Promise Omoniyi 

    Kwara State Government took the welfare of judges at the state High Court a step higher on Tuesday as Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq presented 12 top-of the range Toyota Fortuner Jeeps to the judges.

    The Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Abiodun Ayodele Adebara also got a 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser for the use of his office, in what underlined the administration’s efforts to make the judges more comfortable in their service to the state and the country.

    At the official presentation of the vehicles to the affected judges at the State High Court Ilorin, the Hon. Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Abiodun Adebara, disclosed that earlier in the February this year 2024, five Toyota Fortuner Jeeps were allocated to five of the state High Court Judges from the money made available by the state government under the 2023 Budget.

    The Chief Judge added that five new Toyota Fortuner Jeeps procured under the 2024 approved budget are to be allocated to another five of the judges of the state High Court today, the 30th of April, 2024

    “Also, this morning, His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq released another seven Toyota vehicles to the judiciary. Six of which are meant for the six new judges to be appointed,” Justice Adebara announced.

    The Chief Judge explained further that the purchase of a brand new vehicle is a condition precedent for the appointment of a new judge.

    “These appointments are in the offing, and this is one of the requirements of the National Judicial Council (NJC). There must be a vehicle on the ground before the appointment of a new judge for inspection. His Excellency has supplied six vehicles, and the seventh one is for the office of the Chief Judge,” he said.

    “I want to sincerely thank His Excellency, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq CON who has been so friendly to the judiciary of Kwara State. He has been treating our requests with despatch in positive ways.

    “What we are witnessing today is another positive impact of his administration on the money allocated to the judiciary in the 2024 budget under vehicle procurement. He promptly approved it. The money was released to the judiciary,” Justice Adebara explained.

    The CJ recalled that the last time judges received vehicles from the government was eight years ago apart from the judges appointed on 2020 and applauded AbdulRazaq for his care for the state judiciary.

    “The last time these judges had vehicles from the government was eight years ago. How will eight-year-old vehicles look like today in term of efficiency? Some of our judges are not even within Ilorin. It will enhance our jobs and the dignity of the office of a judge. So, it will complement our jobs and boost the morale of judges.

    “I give glory to God, and I appreciate the amiable governor of the state for prioritising this important needs of the judiciary among other competing needs in the state.

    “We are very grateful. We still have some judges who are yet to have their vehicles. I believe very soon, we’ll have their own.”he submitted

  • Drug Abuse: Kwara State Government Flags Off Seminar For Local Government Administrators

    Drug Abuse: Kwara State Government Flags Off Seminar For Local Government Administrators

    The Kwara State Government has flagged off a 2-day training seminar on Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care for Local Government Administrators, Non-Governmental Organizations, and Youth Organizations, among others in the State.

    The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Mamman Saba Jubril, represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary, Political, Cabinet, and Special Services, Mrs. Esther Folashade Oluyomi disclosed that what the country is witnessing today has further demonstrated the collective efforts of NDLEA and the State Government’s determination to combat the menace of drug abuse and control, in order to safeguard the future of our dear State”.

    The SSG commended the State Commandant of the NDLEA for extending its campaign to the Third Tier of Government, which will adequately assist in curtailing illicit drug usage in our society.

    Prof. Jubril reiterated the commitment of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to this programme as a further indication of the present administration’s willingness to continue to build the capacity of the Local Government Councils and give them the necessary support.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Hon. Abdullahi Abubakar Bata commended the organisers of the workshop, which has brought together relevant stakeholders and other concerned organizations involved in the administration of Local Government to brainstorm and profer seamless solutions to the increasing wave of drug abuse in our society.

    The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Iyabo Modupe Adekeye appreciated the Council Chairmen and their Management Teams for their cooperation and achievements so far.

    Hon. Bata described the success story we are celebrating today in the administration of Local Government as being the efforts of Gov. AbdulRazaq, who has ensured that the lost glory of the Council in the State is restored.

    According to him, “the present administration since assumption of office has implemented far reaching policies and programmes, geared towards the wellbeing of the citizenry and also worthy of mention are the developmental strides targeted towards the absorption of our teeming Youths from being job seekers to job creators”.he stated

    He, however, appealed to the participants to take full advantage of the knowledge acquired at the workshop and encouraged them to put the knowledge to practice in their respective councils so that the effects of drug abuse could be reduced to the barest minimum.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government, who also doubles as the ALGON Chairman, Hon. Jide Ashonibare, on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the State Governor for allowing the councils to operate without interference and identifying with the yearnings of their people in the provision of dividends of democracy.

    The ALGON Boss further reiterated the commitment of the Chairmen to ensuring that campaigns against drug abuse are domesticated across the 16 Local Government Councils.

    In his welcome address, the State Commandant of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Muhammed Bashir Ibrahim thanked the participants for identifying with the agency in taking a comprehensive approach to reduce the use of illegal drugs.

    The Commandant disclosed that the essence of the seminar was to take the campaign against drug abuse to all the communities through the Council Administrators being the closest to the people at the grassroots level.

    He appealed to the youths to desist from taking hard drugs, noting that drug abuse does more harm than good to the body and brain.

     

  • Putting Kwara Education Infrastructure ln Proper Perspective

    Putting Kwara Education Infrastructure ln Proper Perspective

    Opinion:

    I write to address the recent disinformation triggered by a recent report in the BBC on the Kankan LGEA School in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

    I understand that the BBC report was a standalone story, which did not delve into the context of the peculiarity of the Kwara situation as a result of our history. The Honourable Commissioner for Communications Mrs Bola Olukoju has done justice to the story, and it is hoped that the BBC and our other friends in the foreign media are properly guided on the issue and related ones.

    One of the biggest issues His Excellency Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq confronted in 2019 is the mismanagement and stealing of education intervention funds during the previous administration.

    Upon assuming office in 2019, however, the Governor addressed the mismanagement of funds that led to the official blacklist of the state from accessing UBEC funds for six consecutive years. His Excellency first paid N450m, which was the balance of the 2013 FGN-UBEC/SUBEB Matching grant diverted by Alhaji Abdulfatai Ahmed led administration, and this led to the lifting of the ban on the state.

    After paying matching grants of N7.1bn in 2020, Kwara State received a substantial intervention fund totalling 14.2 billion naira, representing 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. This was utilized for the construction, renovation, and remodelling of facilities/structures across 605 schools, including provision of both teachers and students furniture, WASH facilities, and digital literacy centres across all 16 local. government areas. 33 schools were also fenced to prevent land encroachment and provide safety for our children.

    Having said this, it is important to clarify that only 605 schools out of a total of about 2,187 basic schools in the state benefited from the interventions. Definitely, there is still more work to be done, and this point has been made several times.

    The tangible results of these interventions are evident in the significant improvements witnessed in the infrastructural improvement of our basic schools throughout Kwara State when compared with the pre-2019 era.

    These interventions can be seen in all the 193 wards across the 16 LGAs.

    Notwithstanding the above, the government remains committed to steadily addressing the outstanding deficits in the sector. In 2023, Governor Abdulrazaq again fulfilled the state’s counterpart fund obligation for 2020, amounting to 1.4 billion naira, which was allocated for the construction and remodelling of additional 105 classrooms across the state. More teachers and pupils furniture, with WASH facilities( toilets and motorised boreholes with solar panels), were also provided for our schools.

    Furthermore, His Excellency has recently approved the payment of 2021-2023 counterpart funds. The implication of this is that infrastructural upgrades will get to more schools soonest. Kankan LGEA School in Asa LGA and many more schools have been captured.

    A Governor who has done this much should deservedly be given his flowers because not only did the administration before him fail to commit funds to the sector, but it, in fact, stole the little grants it received from the Federal Government.

    We urge members of the public to continue to support the Governor and his administration as he continues to rewrite the story of basic education for posterity.

    Prof. SHEHU Raheem Adaramaja
    Executive chairman, KWARA SUBEB
    April 8, 2024