Kwara
State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has told kwarans that he feels the pain and
hardship the people are going through as a result of current national economic
downturn.
"I'm
concerned; I'm touched. I feel more than you feel because I'm supposed to make
you happy and comfortable, even if it means making myself uncomfortable",
Governor Ahmed said.
Governor
Ahmed, who said this in Ilorin when he received the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji
Ibrahim Sulu Gambari CFR, said contractors engaged by the state government have
been mobilised with a sum N1.7b in line with its resolve to cushion effects of
the economic recession through enhanced infrastructure development in the
State.
The
Governor assured the people that the state government’s newly introduced Kwara Infrastructure
Fund would ensure that contractors who queue into the programme are henceforth
paid quarterly upon certification of the quality of their works.
According
to Governor Ahmed, the newly procured asphalt plants by the government would
soon be commissioned "all bad roads across the state would soon be fixed
while new ones constructed".
On
mass transportation and health, Dr Ahmed said 12 luxurious buses are being
procured to ply major roads across the state while accessing N700m would be
accessed from the World Bank that would be channeled into primary healthcare to
carter for mothers and children.
The
Governor who attributed the increase in the execution of projects to a
reduction in the cost of governance by 40 percent, gave an assurance that the
state government would create more jobs, rather than sack workers.
Earlier,
the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr) Gambari who called on Nigerians to “pray for
the success of our leaders as their actions or in actions will impact on the
general well being of the citizenry”, advised government to pay more attention
to agriculture in order to ensure sustainable food security in the country.
Abdulwahab Oba
Chief Press Secretary
to the Kwara State Governor