KWARA STATE: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW — PART 1
For sometime I wish to examine the results of our democracy since 1999 and how beneficial it has been to Kwara South in particular. This will be done under the title: KWARA STATE: YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW.
Yesterday represents twenty years (1999-2027) of Saraki dynasty’s influence in the running of governments of Kwara State. Today represents the period, 2019-2027, a period of eight years under Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazak.
The write-up will be in short series for easy read. Reactions are welcome.
The intention is to enable the people of Kwara South to make well informed decisions about 2027 elections.
It is good to start our yesterday from 1999 to May 2019 which is a period of about 20 years. Whatsoever we may say, 20 of 28 years of our democracy was under the influence of Saraki dynasty. Now that they want to come back with dynastic politics; they owe us the duty of accountability.
The statutory allocation yesterday that is from 1999-2019 was the sum of N903,450,197,655.73. In a million is N1,000 in 1,000 places. In a billion is N1m in 1000 places. Yet in 20years we had close to N1trillion excluding Internally Generated Revenue. When the IGR of the 20years is added we have far above one trillion Naira. We are talking of trillions not billions. Now look at the communities of Kwara South, many of them remain as they were 27years ago. Where is the impact of governments and the above huge amount of money?
Infrastructures
With the governments of yesterday how many inter and intra communities roads had been constructed in the seven Local Government Areas of the South and of what qualities? I just want communities to examine their roads and know how much of the money above had been committed to road, water and other infrastructural developments.
Roads Projects 1999-2011
Between 1999-2003 Governor Lawal did a total of 34 roads in Kwara State, 23 in Kwara Central, 3 in Kwara North and 8 in Kwara South. Governor Bukola Saraki did 183 roads of various lengths, qualities and value of money : 132 in the central, 15 in the North and 36 in the South. Where is equity, fairness and justice in a state that belong to all of us?
Value of Governor Bukola’s Projects
Of over N41b Governor Bukola Saraki spent on roads and Transportation between 2003-2011, N27b representing 67% of the total was spent on Kwara Central. About N5b representing 13% of the total was spent on the South. While in the North over N7b representing 18.42% was spent on the North. Where is equity and fairness on this?
The Question
If the people of yesterday want Kwara South to vote for them, under the same leadership, there is the need for them to account for 20 years of terrible neglect of the South.