Press Statement
Coalition of Kwara North Groups ( CKNG)
Monday, 16th May, 2022
The Coalition of Kwara North Groups (CKNG) was shocked when the news of the above subject matter was broken on May 12, 2022 credited to the Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Deputy Governor (Module Joel).
CKNG sees the purported Master Plan as a calculated cheat and detrimental to other parts of Kwara State, Kwara North in particular. While we are not oblivious of the fact that Ilorin, being a State Capital might arguably attract some preferencial attention from Kwara State Government, we believe that should not be at the expense and detriment of other components of the State and tax payers’ habitat that even need and deserve the gesture most, given their state of apparent infrastructural and human capital deficits.
CKNG is pretty sure that Mall. Abdulrahman AbdulRazak led Administration of Kwara State Government would not be perplexed at this statement but sees it as visionary support to the admistration toward having a better Kwara For All.
CKNG, in the best interest of Kwara North and Kwara State at large calls for amendment of the “Ilorin Master Plan” to Kwara Master Plan with priority to Kwara North that had been for long short-changed of infrastructure deficit for the following reasons:
- You would agree with CKNG that, if Ilorin Master Plan is eventually implemented without same consideration for Kwara North, it will limit the sustainable development of our dear State. Due to the facts that, it would increase Rural Urban Migration menace, thereby hitting hard on the limited facilities concentrated in the State Capital (Ilorin) alone.
- Kwara North is the food basket of Kwara and Industrial inputs-sourcing areas, yet, with deplorable roads that link up Baruten, Edu, Kaiama, Moro and Patigi LGs with the State Capital in terrible state of socioeconomic threat.
How then do Kwara achieve the sustainable development she talked about if these areas are not masterly planned for same way the State capital is being planned for?
- Kwara North has the largest landmass with lots of pontentials such as agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries mining, forestry, water resources amongst others. All these are asking for prompt attention that would no doubt bring about yearning sustainable growth and development in Kwara State.
- Kwara North is being threatened by poor education, health and other development institutions as a result of neglect and lack of deserving attention from the government.
- In reference to Elites Network For Sustainable Development (ENetSuD), recent release of how the monthly federal allocations of some local governments in Kwara State are being used to run others through the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) which was never rebutted by the State Government,
it has shown that four (4) out of the five (5) Kwara North LGs: Baruteen, Edu, Kaiama and Patigi LGs have been turned to Father Christmas LGs shouldering the financial responsibilities and burdens of other LGs leaving them with their developmental challenges and youths unemployment unattended too. This, is a pointer to the high possiblity and tendency of Kwara North LGs fund being used in the implementation of the said Ilorin Master Plan, thereby, further subjecting Kwara North to more socioeconomic growth and development.
You can imagine if Kwara State Master Plan can capture these LGs, Kwara State would become enviable/ best State in the country by whatever parameters that would be used for its measurement, bcause the development through the master plan is all inclusive and evenly implemented across the State as against the current plan.
- The best and fastest technique to achieving sustainable growth and development for all in any given State, is by decentralization and even disturbution of collective owned resources and institutions across the State. The ungodly attitude of centralization and concentration of all development driving apparatus in Ilorin, the State Capital has left other part of the State, particularly Kwara North in archaic state crying and battling with socioeconomic growth and development.
- Nonetheless, CKNG observed that most of the points, if not all, highlighted to be the major aim of the said Ilorin Master Plan are sincerely and mostly more needed and deserving in Kwara North.
You may wish to refer to the above paragraphs and read below, the aims as put by Kwara State Government thus:
“Ilorin, which is one of the fastest-growing cities in Nigeria, will continue to record huge growth. This master plan, therefore, provides A-grade professional insights into how the city will be organised in the areas of transportation and utilities, waste management, water and drainage system, education, health, climate change management and green areas, job opportunities, agriculture, and future expansion of the city, among others’, he added.”
In the light of the above, CKNG is calling the Kwara State Government under the watch of His Excellency, Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazak for all inclusive Master Plan (Kwara Master Plan) that can be unbiasedly implemented across the State or down upside the priorities, to start with Kwara North, for a better Kwara and stand the test of time ” Sustainable Development” as against the current “Sectional Development”.
Signed:
Comr. Abdulkadir Yusuf, Esq.
Chairman
Coalition of Kwara North Groups (CKNG)
Patigi Voice. 