Opinion

Gov Ahmed: No retreat, no surrender

 

My boss spent the better part of the last week criss-crossing the state, inspecting ongoing projects and assuring beneficiary communities and, indeed, the entirety of Kwara residents that for him, there will be no single project left uncompleted by the time he hands over the reign of governance to the next lucky individual by May 2019, next year, in sha Allah.
Two weeks earlier, he went through projects in parts of Kwara central senatorial district. Kwara State University’s School of Business and Governance in Ilorin, Alagbado Bridge in Ilorin East LG, Omosebi  Bridge, Gaa-Akanbi in Ilorin South, Coca-Cola road bridge in Ilorin West, Egbejila – Asa Dam road in Ilorin West and Geri-Alimi Diamond Spilt Underpass were points of call in the central. Of course, a number of other projects are on going in the city capital of Ilorin. These include, but not limited to the near completion water reticulation, the light up Kwara and the dualisation of Sango/teaching road.
Last week it was the turn of Kwara south with visits to the Osi Ekiti campus of KWASU and as usual, left the community satisfied that the ongoing work is still good to go, to use the phrase of his protocol team in indicating everything is going on as scheduled and we can proceed to the next level. Everyone was marvelled at the level and quality of work done at the campus. And the community demonstrated their excitement by turning out en masse to receive the governor. It was another mission accomplished for Gov Ahmed who made it clear from inception that a major pre-occupation of his government is a secured future through educational and economic empowerment.
For the governor, it is a case of no retreat, no surrender. He has started the works and nothing would stop him from brining them to fruition level. We pray that this zeal in him would find commensurate provision to fulfil his dream of leaving Ahmadu Bello Lodge without a hanging project. It is no PR to say that this administration has demonstrated a commitment to the provision of infrastructure, just as it will not be a lie to say that the last recession, and before it the gradual reduction in revenue accruable to the state from the federal allocation had significantly impacted on the ability of government to execute the projects.
But for a man with the mindset of no retreat, no surrender, such challenges only make you to think outside the box and that was what led to the emergence of IF-K; a policy I have for several times discussed on this page as the guarantee for the continued commitment to the infrastructural development of the state. For those who doubt this assertion, let’s take a brief trip into the land of facts, assailing ourselves with available evidence from the Ministry of Works.
From facts available at the ministry, there were a total of 237.15 kilometres of roads under ongoing construction as at the time this administration came on board in 2011. All of them have been completed and been in use for long now. These roads include the following:  Eyenkorin-Ballah-Alaparaod, Afon-Eyenkoerin road,  Akerebiata-Zango road, Ola-Olu-Offa garage,  AlabiOwo road, Baba Daudu-Varsity avenue road,  Lafiagi township road, Eruku-Koro road and Ganmo-Afon  road.
Others include Zulu Gambari road, Omu-Aran township-Landmark University road, Offa garage-Micheal Imodu road, post Office-ITC junction , Olorunshogo road,offGaa-Akanbi,  Isanlu-Isin-Ijara-Isin road Isin , Cargo Terminal Building, Construction of Apron and Taxi way for cargo Terminal, Construction of master concrete drain within Agbaji , Ero-Omo-Kilanko Offa garage road, Offa township road metropolis, Post Office Fly over bridge, Chikanda-Kosubosu section II, Chikanda-Kosubosu Section III and Chikanda- Kosubosu Section.
Since then, it has also been a story of no retreat, no surrender. Ahmed will not retreat from pursuing the fulfilment of his promise to the people of Kwara and he will not surrender to the intimidation posed by the economic condition. With his hands on the plough, he has refused to look back but instead march on the marsh land to leave behind a legacy of a man who came, met challenges but refused to bow down at the altar of failure.
The Ministry of Works document lists 23 different roads across the state that have also been completed by Ahmed and there are some 19 others still ongoing. Out of 14 roads under the non-IFK funding scheme, two are near completion; three are ongoing, while contractors are yet to be mobilised for the rest. But they will be mobilised; because under Ahmed, it is no retreat, no surrender.
And residents must continue to offer support for this administration.  It is both a civil and spiritual reasonability. It is our civic responsibility to pay our taxes and urge others to do same. Payment of taxes is ordained by God for progress and development of society. Those who have MUST contribute to make life easy for the have-not and society’s well-being. We owe it a duty to ourselves to make this government accountable to its promises but also, and very crucially, we owe it a duty to posterity to support the government in ensuring that the stated projects and objectives of the administration are fulfilled.  Let us queue behind Ahmed, as the General of the incumbent administration, leading us all on the voyage of no retreat, no surrender.
In concluding this piece, let me acknowledge the very kind words offered by members of Igbaja People’s Forum, IPF, who last week visited the governor.  Not only did they make demands from the administration, as expected of every citizen and group, they had kind words for the efforts of the government in meeting the infrastructure needs of the populace. They also indicated what they have been doing in their own capacity to assist the government. That to me is the spirit all residents must cultivate.
According to the IPF, “Permit me, Sir, to commend this Administration for rebuilding the Igbaja Cottage Hospital to an enviable and functional status. This was the hospital that had gone moribund, totally dilapidated without a roof and was an abode to wild animals. This administration rebuilt the hospital to a modern status with furniture, medical equipment, a doctor and a few paramedical personnel in place, thus bringing the hospital back to life.
The Igbaja cottage hospital remains the only state hospital all the way from Okeya-Ipo, Igbaja, Yaru, Olayinka, Agunjin etc serving hundreds of communities. This administration has in practical terms brought medicare and medical services to several underserved rural communities. For this, we say very many thanks to our Governor and his team.
Furthermore, without any doubt, we have to show appreciation again and again for the recent repairs and patching of potholes in Ajase-Ipo, Okeya-Ipo, Buhari, Igbaja, Yaru, Agunjin all the way to Shagbe. This road, which was constructed some 30 years ago, has never undergone any maintenance until now when Your Excellency and his team deemed it fit to effect repairs”.
Just as I challenged the new leadership of the IEDPU here last week, we also need to extend the same challenge to other socio-cultural groups across the state on the need to rise up, raise their words and prayers and give support, again and again, to the administration as we all march on to the finishing line. Until then, no retreat, no surrender.
*Oba can be reached via e-mail: [email protected]

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