Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was inaugurated for his second term on Monday, vowing to remain a responsible and responsive leader for the people of the state.
The modest yet colourful inauguration lasted just 45 minutes, kicking off at exactly 8:10 a.m. following the arrival of the Governor at 8a.m.
Both the Governor and Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi were accompanied by their spouses — First Lady Ambassador Mrs Olufolake AbdulRazaq and Mrs Abieyuwa Alabi — and by membes of their families and friends.
Chief Judge of Kwara State Justice Abiodun Adebara administered the oath on the Deputy Governor and then the Governor, each milestone drawing cheers from the council chamber filled with royalties, security commanders, government officials, party leaders, diplomats, technocrats, Labour leaders, and private sector leaders.
The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman of the Kwara State Council of Chiefs Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari led all the first class monarchs to the event, joined by the scion of the Abdulrazaqs and Mutawali of Ilorin Dr Alimi Abdulrazaq.
House of Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi Salihu led his colleagues to the event, which also had all the senators and House of Representatives members-elect in attendance. The Grand Kadi Justice Abdullateef Kamaldeen; Head of Service Mrs Susan Modupe Oluwole; cabinet members led by Secretary to the State Government Prof. Mamman Saba Jubril; captains of industry, labour leaders, and media executives.
The Governor, who set out his spending priorities, said the second tenure would see him building on the gains of the last four years — all of which he credited to the support of the people of the state.
His words: “The next four years will consolidate the gains of our first tenure and lay new foundations for sustained socioeconomic development and institutional growth. We are going to deepen the reforms and investments in the critical sectors like education, healthcare delivery, civil service welfare, social safety programmes, general infrastructural upgrade and renewals, focused expansion of our economic base, and promotion of a political culture that advances self-reliance and growth.
“Our spending priorities will be to complete all the ongoing infrastructural projects and iron out the business models to deliver maximum benefits to the people. Adequate attention will be focused on completing projects like the Ilorin International Conference Centre, the Revenue House, Innovation Hub, Visual Arts Centre, Sugar Film Factory, Osi and Ilesha Baruba campuses of the Kwara State University, industrial park, Shea Butter factory in Kaiama, among others. The General Tunde Idiagbon Flyover and the garment factory will be flagged off soon with huge economic benefits. The Ilorin Capital City Master Plan will be followed by a grander Kwara State Master Plan that will cover Kwara South and Kwara North for sustainable living.
“Affordable housing programme will be another priority of this dispensation. This will help civil servants and other citizens to own their own homes. It will also curb unplanned construction and support decent living conditions. In this wise, we will form partnerships with private and federal government agencies to develop new satellite towns already mapped out in the Ilorin City Master Plan as well as in GRA lands in parts of Kwara South and Kwara North.
“In addition to our Kwapreneur initiative that directly puts money in ideas mostly owned by young people, we will consider an annual multidisciplinary scholarship scheme that will be open to our best brains, especially at Postgraduate Level. Beneficiaries will emerge only through a very rigorous process that is transparent. I believe this will hasten the pace of human capital development in different fields.”
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
