The Kwara State governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has again showcased some major gains of his administration to the Ilorin community.

He commended the Emir of Ilorin, Alh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari and all the stakeholders for their support and understanding.

At the 59th national conference of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), the governor congratulated the organisation for its successes over the years and its role in maintaining peace and harmony within and outside of the Emirate.

AbdulRazaq specifically showed off the gains of the urban renewal initiative under which several roads have been upgraded within and outside Ilorin metropolis — as well as other major economic projects that he said are meant to spread prosperity among the people.

He lauded the IEDPU and other stakeholders for their support for the initiative, pledging the support of the administration for the completion of the body’s innovation hub project to upskill young people and improve social mobility.

“My team and I commend Mai Martaba the Emir of Ilorin, IEDPU leadership, and all of you for the support so far given to our administration and to the government of His Excellency President Bola Tinubu. We do not take this for granted,” he said.

“About three years ago, a guest lecturer at this August occasion mentioned how the socioeconomic legacies of Ilorin people were going into extinction and how this should get the attention of all.

“Yes, we are proudly transforming the landscape of Ilorin. From Sulu-Gambari road to Oja Oba, Balogun Fulani to Gambari, Ibrahim Taiwo road to General Roundabout, Unity to A- Division, Omoda to Idi – Ape, Challenge to Ahmadu Bello Way, Tanke Junction to Tipper Garage, and many others, Ilorin now stands shoulder to shoulder with leading capital cities in our country as we rapidly upgrade the infrastructure and restore law and order for the good of all.

 

“This urban renewal initiative is moving to other parts of the state, including Offa, with the massive reconstruction work on the Ibrahim Taiwo road.

 

“Beyond this, we are reviving the economic legacies of our community. Massive work has commenced on the Dada- Okelele pottery, just as we have mobilised contractors to the Patigi Motel to breathe life back to local economic activities in different parts of Kwara State.

 

“The Ilorin Smart City project, which I announced here last year, has now commenced. We did not hijack land from anyone. All families and private individuals affected have been notified and compensated. For some, the compensation process is still ongoing.

 

“In 2025, we are constructing 250 units of mass housing in the first phase, while access and inner roads for the smart city will begin. We invite all of you to be part of this historic development.

 

“Furthermore, we have made provisions for the takeoff of the Kwara State University of Education, Ilorin, in 2025. Along with other projects of the administration, this opens a new frontier for socioeconomic growth and collective prosperity.

 

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we have long yearned for massive infrastructural turnarounds of our state and the capital city. This is happening already. Between 2023 and now, we have delivered 145 roads of different specifications across the state, while 50 are ongoing as I speak to you.

 

“Having said this, massive infrastructural development and reforms come with their own challenges and paradox. We urge you to bear with us.

 

“Again, I congratulate the IEDPU on this august occasion. I commend the leadership for your understanding and support for our programmes. I sincerely commend your focused advocacy for a greater, more prosperous, and peaceful Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State. I assure you of our support every step of the way,” the governor added.

 

At the event were national and state parliamentarians, chairmen, local government councils for Ilorin West, East, South and Asa; senior government officials; Ilorin Emirate chieftains; captains of industry, hundreds of great sons and daughters of Ilorin, including the four Baloguns and IEDPU national president, Alh AbdulMumin AbdulMalik.

 

The Balogun Gambari of Ilorin, Alh Mohammed Aliyu Adebayo stood in for the Emir, while Amb. Yahya Seriki was the chief launcher who donated N100m for some ongoing projects of the body.

 

IEDPU President, for his part, praised the urban renewal projects and other developmental programmes of the administration which he said are crucial for beautification and physical development of the capital city.

 

He said Ilorin is increasingly expanding with many new communities, and called on the government to further expand the infrastructure, including roads, schools, and healthcare centres.

 

“The Union is delighted with the rate of ongoing developments in the state. The completed and the numerous ongoing projects which the state government is executing are laudable. When completed, the projects will completely change the face of not only Ilorin, the state capital, but also the entirety of Kwara State,” he said.

 

Abdulmalik highlighted some of the projects the union is currently executing, including the Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari Skills Acquisition Hub.

 

He requested the government to further assist the union by equipping the centre with computers, and providing for the interior and exterior fittings to have a befitting look.

 

The chairman of the occasion, Prof. Shuaib AbdulRaheem congratulated the people of the Emirate on the occasion which he noted reflects love, unity, and sense of patriotism.

 

He praised Governor AbdulRazaq’s commitment to peace, social protection, and infrastructural development in the state, and urged him to do more on empowerment programmes for the downtrodden, particularly women.

 

The government of Enugu State has approved the sum of N183bn for the construction of 141 roads across Enugu metropolis and 20 rural roads across the three senatorial zones of the state.

It also approved the award of 133 more smart schools in addition to the ongoing 127 smart schools to bring them to 260 or one smart school per political ward.

The approvals were disclosed at the end of the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Peter Mbah at the Government House, Enugu, at the weekend.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the Exco meeting, the secretary to the state government, SSG, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the projects were in furtherance of Governor Peter Mbah’s determination to grow the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn, achieve a zero per cent poverty headcount index as well as position Enugu State as the premier destination for business, investment, tourism, and for living in four to eight years.

 

“Recall that before now, the state’s total budget hovered around N100bn and N120bn with capital expenditure of about N30bn or capital expenditure to budget ratio of about 25 to 35 per cent.

 

“However, in keeping with Governor Mbah’s promise to de-risk investments, boost production, and run a lean and prudent government, the governor proposed an unprecedented N521.5bn 2024 budget with a capital expenditure totaling over N400bn, which is an equivalent of capital expenditure to budget ratio of about 80 per cent and recurrent expenditure ratio of about 20 per cent.

 

“Accordingly, the theme that we took away from Exco today is doubling down. The government is doubling down on infrastructure. If you recall, we started with 71 urban roads and 10 rural roads last year. Now, the governor and the Executive Council have also approved 141 urban roads and 20 rural roads.

 

“It is noteworthy that although the rural roads are 20 in number, compared to 141 in Enugu metropolis, they are actually more, nearly three times those approved for Enugu urban in terms of kilometres.

 

“This is part of the strategies to improve the quality of life in the rural communities and importantly to de-risk investments in agriculture. Outside security, which we are effectively dealing with, the big elephant in the room is to scale up the production and movement of produce from farmlands to the market. We also understand the need for processing, hence the heavy investments in road infrastructure,” Prof. Onyia stated.

 

Giving a breakdown of the roads, the commissioner for works and infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji, said the roads covered in this phase included the dualisation of the 41.3km Abakpa Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road with bridges, dualisation of Penocks Junction – Nike Lake Road to T-Junction Flyover, Nomeh-Mburubu-Nara Road with two bridges, Umabi-Ehuhe Achi with a spur to Agbudu-Ihe-Owelli-Ogugu by Enugu-Port Harcourt old road, Nomeh-Oduma Road, Mburubu-Nkereffi Road, and Amodu-Akpugo Road.

 

Also approved were Iheaka-Ibagwa Road, Ibagwa-Itchi-Unadu-Alor Agu-Ibeje Road, Amagunze-Ihuokpara-Ugbawka Road with a bridge, Obeleagu Umana (Nkwo Ezeagu)-Omughu Umana-Aguobu-Umumba Road, Nara-Nkerefi Road with a bridge, Amagunze-Akpawfu Road, Amagu-Attakwu-Akegbe Ugwu-Akpasha Road, Obinagu Udi-Isu Awa Road, and Nsukka-Ibagwa-Ogurute-Ette Road.

 

Others included Obuofia-Obeagu-Akegbe Ugwu Road, Obinofia-Ndiagu-Ugwuoba Road by Enugu-Onitsha expressway, Orie Engine-Aguobu-Umumba-Ebenebe Road to Anambra State border, Ituku Roads, Ozalla Roads, among others.

 

Otiji further explained that in selecting the 141 roads for construction and reconstruction, the government was deliberate in ensuring that all the zones, namely, Emene, Thinkers Corner, Abakpa, Trans Ekulu/New GRA/Old GRA, Awkunanaw (Achara Layout/Uwani/Gariki), Independence Layout, Ogui/Asata, and Coal Camp were covered.

 

Also briefing Government House correspondents, the commissioner for youth and sports, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu and the commissioner for information and communication, Mr Aka Eze Aka, said the Executive Council was also briefed on the ongoing hi-tech security surveillance camera installations around the state and the planned turnaround and upgrade of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.

 

Meanwhile, pursuant to its agriculture and agro-industrialisation drive, the Mbah administration said it had built nearly 200,000 hectares in its Land Bank for agricultural purposes across its Produce Cities in the 17 LGAs of the state, which the construction of the rural roads would now boost.

 

It has so far leased 15,000 hectares of land at Ikem Nkwo to Ugwu Anama Farms Enugu SPV Limited for the cultivation of crops; 2,000 hectares at Eha-Amufu to Atlantico Farms and Agro Concepts Limited for crops production and another 100 hectares for the establishment of an ultra-modern feed mill and poultry farm; 20,000 hectares to Sujimoto Group for cultivation of rice and development of agro-industrial processing park at Odenigbo, Eha-Amufu; and 7,221 hectares to Fungtai Company Limited for planting of economic trees, crop farming and establishment of agro-allied industrial parks at Ugwujoro, Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani LGA.

 

The administration has also concluded arrangements for the takeover of the management and development of the long moribund Songhai Farms Heneke in Ezeagu LGA by Britednuel Agro Limited and partners.

 

In 2023, the state government cultivated 1,000 hectares in Aninri, Nkanu East, and Uzo-Uwani LGAs to support the cassava to bioethanol value chain development initiative of the federal government, while the Biotechnology Industrial Park led by Federal Government/Enugu State and Biosource Technologies Ltd, a private partner, is under construction at Egede/Affa in Udi LGA.