Governor Abdulrazak of Kwara state
Edited by Shola Akingboye
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Saturday has said the last administration messed everything up in the state.
He decried the rot in all sectors of the state, saying the decadence will take years to fix.
He also accused of criminally breaking down basic infrastructure in the north-central state.
The governor however assured his administration will expend N11.2 billion in revamping the
infrastructure in the state’s schools.
The governor added that the aim is to save the deteriorating conditions of schools in the state.
He spoke during the commissioning of new ultra-modern library complex in Kwara state University (KWASU), Malete, Moro local government area of the state.
The library complex was funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TEDFUND).
Represented by his Deputy Kayode Alabi, the governor said: “Everything is messed up in Kwara state, the decay will take years to fix but we are convinced that we will succeed if everybody supports us. We are starting on ground zero.
“We are faced with criminal breakdown of basic infrastructure across every sector in the state, especially in the education and health sectors.
“Just last week, we had to pay N250 million to offset two months’ salaries the state government owed workers across the state colleges of education.
“We also paid an additional N50 million to secure re-accreditation for two of the colleges.
“We still have a backlog of arrears to pay these teachers. We have promised to steadily offset these backlogs with an appeal to the workers to return to work after many months of industrial action to protest the neglect of the schools by people elected to serve the public.
“The decay in the infrastructure across our primary and secondary schools is better imagined.
The more any patriot sees such a thing the sadder he becomes because it points at a bleak future unless something urgent is done.
“It was so bad that funds meant for upgrades of facilities at the primary schools were diverted with serious consequences for the state.
“Our government is determined to raise a generation of children who are able to cope with the education needs of the 21st century.”
Executive Secretary Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro described the library as the best in the country pledging that the Fund would always support laudable projects.
Meanwhile, a 21-man committee set up by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to probe the state of public assets had said that the management of Kwara State’s assets is shrouded in controversy and needs to be reviewed for posterity,
Chairman of the committee Senator Suleiman Ajadi said at the presentation of its interim report on Tuesday evening that the panel made far-reaching recommendations upon which the governor would need to take urgent decisions.
The presentation was attended by AbdulRazaq, House of Assembly Speaker Yakubu Danladi and the 20 other members of the Assets Recovery Committee.
Ajadi said: “There are so many thorny issues surrounding the control and management of some assets like the Kwara Hotel, the International Aviation College, the amorphous case of the Shonga Farms and the entire Harmony Holdings structure.
“We are also looking into the issue of the amusement park, which was sold in very unclear circumstances for a princely sum of N100 million in 2010, but which, perhaps fortuitously, has been bogged down since because of litigation.”
The committee chairman urged the governor to look critically at the issues and make pronouncements in the immediate future even before the panel makes available its final report.
“This is because quite a few of the issues highlighted are going concerns, which will require prompt government attention and action,” Ajadi said.
AbdulRazaq thanked the committee for the good job, adding: “You can count on us to face up to the challenges and make sure that justice is done to the issues raised.”
The committee, however, has said government has not authorized the sale of any of its properties within or outside of the state.
In a statement on Tuesday, the committee cautioned “the public against buying or sale of government properties in which government has interest now/before ranging from government quarters, chalets, farmlands, vehicles and equipment etc.”
The committee said anyone, who buys such properties does so at their own risk.
Also, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed that it prevented the immediate past administration in Kwara State from allegedly misappropriating N10 billion between May 24 and May 29, 2019.
It added that it is investigating over 15 properties belonging to civil servants in choice areas of Ilorin, the state capital
The Ilorin Zonal Head of EFCC, Isyaku Sharu, while addressing reporters in Ilorin on the activities of the commission in the last six months, added that the commission had charged no fewer than 29 internet cases to both Federal and state high courts.
Sharu noted that the commission had secured 15 convictions.
He added that the courts also ordered the forfeiture of their exotic cars and money running to millions of Naira in their accounts to the Federal Government.
The EFCC Zonal Head said: “It has always been a tradition in the country, except to macroscopic few, that whenever any government is exiting, it will indulge in mass pilferage as the last minute golden opportunity. Hence, our resolve to mount surveillance on all Kwara State government accounts between May, 24 and 29, 2019, when the states received Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC), Value Added Tax (VAT) and tax refund from the Federal Government to the tune of about N10 billion.
“I can authoritatively tell you that we saved the state last-minute attempted misappropriation of those billions.
“You will agree with me that official corruption is the greatest killer as officials who ordinarily supposed to guard and protect state resources turned out to misappropriate them. To this end, the commission beams its searchlight on the state officials and on a credible tip-off, the commission is currently investigating 15
properties in choice areas within Ilorin metropolis. The properties range from hotels, filling stations, residential accommodation to microfinance banks.
“It will shock you to hear that the alleged owners are civil servants, whose earning per month is not more than 90 per cent. Some have confessed to the commission and the matter is in court. In fact, we
discovered about N3 billion in the accounts of two of them, who are not up to assistant directors in the ministry.”
On internet fraud, the EFCC boss said: “It is a menace, which devastating effect traverses the socio-political and socio-economic well-being of the nation. The perpetrators are youth within the age bracket of 18 and 25, who the country is looking up to as the future leaders. The economic implication of internet fraud is such that no serious foreign investor would want to do business within a jurisdiction, where the menace of internet fraud prevails.
“Since our assumption of office in December, last year, in Ilorin, a torrent of petitions started trickling in and as usual, the commission swung into action. As I speak to you, the commission had cash recovery of over N50 million, which was returned to the victims of fraud on bond. This includes properties from some legislators, who allegedly duped some people. The commission has also over N2 million interim forfeiture.” Credit: The Nation online
