KWARA State Governor Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has always said that his government is a continuation of the last dispensation. And it would appear that he has an opportunity to build on it despite the various appointments he has made.Ahmed is using the 2012 budget, his first budget tagged, 'Consolidation and Development,' to show how close he is to the previous administration of Senator Bukola Saraki. Although the budget doesn't call for too much comparison, it is believed that if there is any veritable gauge to assess the performance of Ahmed it will be the implementation of this year's budget.In the budget, which was presented to the State House of Assembly in December 2011, the Governor encapsulated the fiscal policy in four points. These are:' consolidation on the policy thrust of the previous administration,' focus on urgent needs of the people,' ensure efficiency in the management of resources and lastly,' guaranteeing cost effectiveness in the execution of various people oriented programmes.The governor also narrowed the budget speech to four objectives. These are:' expansion of the productive base of the state economy through increased agricultural and industrial production,' development of new infrastructural facilities and rehabilitation of existing sectoral projects,' stimulating economic development through a systematic implementation of the administration's interlinked seven point agenda, and' job, wealth creation through human capital development investment promotion and development of micro small and medium scale enterprises.The budget presentation had caught the attention the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state as the party constituted a committee to monitor budget implementation. The party ridiculed the idea of continuity as conceptualised in the budget, noting that, 'if it was on continuity, then the hope of the people of Kwara for a brighter economic policy would be dashed.'But the Commissioner for Information, Tunji Moronfoye described the comment by ACN as wishful thinking as he cited the antecedents of the governor. According to the commissioner, 'we have nothing to fear or worry about as far as the implementation of the budget is concerned. That is why the governor came to power, to use the resources of the state to develop the state and improve the lots of the people. He served as the Commissioner for Finance for eight years in the last government.According to the state ACN Chairman, Kayode Olawepo 'budgetary speeches in many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled states have become mere rhetoric.' Urging the people to put their hope in God as nothing positive could come out of the budget, he claimed that, 'if the 2012 budget is to continue in the legacy of the past, then we are sure that there would not be any faithful implementation of the budget. But in line with our duties as an opposition party, we are going to commission a team that will keep track of how the budget is being implemented.'This team will in turn give us the reports and then we will be able to make adequate statements on it. We are not embarking on any criticism now because if we do, we will be accused of subjective criticism. If the budget will consolidate on anything we hope it will not be on poverty and hunger.'The 2012 budget was N91.7 billion, which is about 42 per cent higher than the 2011 budget. The sectoral breakdown showed that, road development gulped N11.6 billion, water supply, N2.8 billion, Education and Human capital Development, N8.6 billion, Energy, N1.8 billion, Health, N3.9 billion, Agriculture Development N2.7 billion, Sports and Youth Development, N255 million.Others are Housing, N1.3 billion, Commerce and Cooperatives, N386 million, Information and Communications, N443 million, Environment and Forestry N242 million and other sectors N10.7 billion.According to Ahmed, since the zeal to create more job opportunities remained the fulcrum of the incumbent administration, the agricultural sector would be boosted because of the agrarian nature of the people of the state.He added, 'this is because it provides employment for about 70 per cent of our people, food for the growing population and raw materials for our industries. Indeed, it is the basic structure on which the industrial and manufacturing super-structures are built. The policy thrust of this administration in this sector is to facilitate greater participation of private investors in commercial farming and agro-allied industrial businesses.'Towards this end, N315 million has been earmarked for land development services in 2012. In order to completely eliminate incessant crises and clashes between crop farmers and herdsmen, the state Government would provide grazing reserves in strategic locations and other incentives like milking parlours so that they can continue to live together in peace and harmony.'Under Works and Transport, 'the transport sub-sector will receive the required boost in the financial year. This is in line with the policy thrust of this administration to sustain the provision and maintenance of good motor able roads and reduce traffic congestion in the state. To this end the completion of all on-going road projects embarked upon by the immediate past administration would be pursued with greater zeal in 2012.'Pursuant to this, N3.2 billion has been provided for this sector in the coming fiscal year. Similarly, attention would be paid to the construction and rehabilitation of new state and rural roads across the length and breadth of the state. To this end, a total sum of N6.6 billion will be committed to this project with a share of N4.6 billion for state and rural roads respectively.'One area that Ahmed's administration has equally promised to touch is the energy sector. His predecessor had shortly before the expiration of his tenure commissioned a multi-billion step down project at Ganmo, adjoining Ilorin, the state capital. The idea of the power plant was not to generate electricity in the state but to increase the functional capacity of the megawatts sent into the state.But again Olawepo described the project as a 'white elephant project,' alleging that it had not improved electricity supply into the state.The governor however noted, 'the state government is working towards ensuring improved power supply in the state. In this regard, efforts will be geared towards the completion of all on-going power projects in the state and commencement of other key priority power projects. Communities that are yet to be connected to the national grid would be considered under the 2012 electrification project. Similarly, we will upgrade injection sub-stations and continue the provision of traffic and street light in Ilorin metropolis and Local Government Headquarters. A sum of N800 million has been earmarked for this sector.'The governor, while speaking on the education sector, believed that the re-christening of the ministry from that of Science and Education to Education and Human Capital Development was a conscious step aimed at making graduates of schools in the state job creators rather than job seekers.He added, 'to enhance Science and Education, the state government intends to convert six secondary schools to Science Schools in the 2012 fiscal year at a cost of N100 million. In line with our emphasis on human capital development, vocational education has been introduced in our schools in tandem with the new curriculum on entrepreneurship. Under this scheme, each school will teach three trades for their students to acquire the necessary skills for self-employment on graduation. A budgetary provision of N100 million has been made for this purpose.'One area worthy of mentioning is the area of health. The budget aside promising the provisions of affordable health care policies disclosed its readiness to improve teaching and learning at all the state's owned colleges of Nursing and Midwifery and that of its College of Health Technology, Offa. Other notable sectors covered by the budget are Information and Communication, Sports and Youth, Water Supply, Land and Housing, and Environment and Forestry.The Information Commissioner said that true to its determination to ensure dutiful implementation of the Budget of Continuity, the government has constituted a monitoring group to ensure that no aspect of the project would be haphazardly implemented. He noted further that because of his background and experience in administration, it is unlikely that the governor will find excuses not to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
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