Courtesies,

I am immensely delighted to be here today for this historic meeting. And I must thank all those who have worked to make it happen. May God continue to strengthen us.

When I called this meeting historic, my intention is not to use that word loosely, but to underscore the significance of a rare opportunity that this kind of interaction presents to build a new frontier of partnership in the service of our state.
I believe that of all concerns of good governance, perhaps the most important is that which emphasises participation and consultation. Not only because these are by themselves the core ingredients of democracy, but also because it is the only way we can be certain to mobilise all available capacities, resources, talents and viewpoints in the service of the people, whom I believe also are the best custodians of the knowledge of their lives and their realities. Gone are the times when governments arrogate themselves all the knowledge and wisdom in running the affairs of state. I not only find this incompatible with democracy but also unproductive as our experiences in public policy administration over the years have shown.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, I urge you to see this meeting as an opportunity to contribute directly to the governance of our state. On my side, I intend to take full advantage of this meeting to benefit from your insights in specific areas, especially regarding the core development agenda that our government has pursued since it took off on May 29th this year. To see some pictures clearly, you probably need to step back and view it from a distance. Therefore, because you are removed from the everyday turbulence of our political and social life, you may be able to see the picture more broadly.

Ladies and gentlemen. In moving forward today, I think it important to give you a little background to our take-off position as a new government. In my address to the House of Assembly on the occasion of our 100 days in office, I tried to impress on Mr. Speaker and the House, the precarious nature of financial economy and structural problems that we inherited from the last administration. It is pertinent that I recap this briefly here.
Telling you the story of decay in infrastructural facilities like roads, water supply system, education, health and so on, might strike an uncomfortable note de javu in you: like we have heard this before, new governments always do not have good things to say about their predecessors. However, this may just be the other side of the advantage you enjoy from being far removed from the scene. It is clear to me that no amount of figures and statistics can fully capture the real human tragedy that goes with the total collapse of health and educational infrastructure. And indeed, no metaphor can fully express the misery that goes with acute lack of water in both the rural and urban areas.

Therefore, I must say that this is not about demonising the past. It is about real and verifiable public administration disaster that happened in our dear state for the past four years or so. I will give you a brief insight.

The previous administration had employed a micro-management system that ensure that the whole affairs of the state were discharged from the command post of the Government House. This over-concentration of governmental powers served a purpose. Apart from the natural consequence of decay and bastardisation of the civil service, which normally should serve as the engine room of governance, it the ample opportunity it created for the most mindless financial profligacy that characterised the governance of our state.

All manners of bogus and ill-conceived projects and programmes became drain pipes to the scarce resources of the state, billions of naira were budgeted, which could not be accounted for, as the logic of expediency took over the affairs of our state.

As our people suffer under acute shortage of water both in the rural and urban areas, the previous administration pumped billions of naira into awarding contracts to political cronies, friends and loyalists. The disaster that followed was predictable. In some areas, scarcity of water soon degenerated into health crises, when guinea worm, a disease that has been eradicated even in the poorest parts of the world, crept into the communities.

While the existing state hospitals suffered from acute shortage of medical and para-medical personnel and lack of drugs and other essential medical items, the government busied itself awarding contracts to political cronies to construct three health clinics in all the awards. Needless to say that we have all over the state, in 193 centres, buildings which, even where completed, cannot be put to any use. Yet, very essential drugs and dressing worth over N800 Million were left to expire in the government medical stores when they could easily have been put to use.

The issue of these drugs provokes other stories of such mindless neglect. Tractors and other farms implements, medical ambulances and vehicles, electricity generators and sanitation wares, books and educational equipment, some procured with the state's scarce resources, some donated by governmental agencies and organisations, were kept in the government house and left to rot.

I wish to recall a particularly sad discovery that was made recently. In one of the state's fertiliser depots were found over a million copies of primary and secondary text books that were donated to the state more than 2 years ago. While our children suffer from lack of essential text books, the government locked this up in a fertiliser store where they all have been destroyed. How, Mr. Speaker, can this be explained? Little wonder that most international development agencies like the UNDP, UNICEF and the World Bank, and even governmental agencies like the Education Trust Fund (ETF) suspended development assistance to Kwara state. But I am happy to inform you that UNICEF has resumed relationship with us a couple of weeks ago, and we intend to take a full advantage of this.

Perhaps, the best reflection of the problems we talk about is in the state of our finances. Our inherited External indebtedness stands at USD 333, 514, 525.26 (Three hundred and thirty three million, five hundred and fourteen thousand, five hundred and twenty five United States dollars); or N42, 356, 344, 708 (Forty two billion, three hundred and forty four thousand, seven hundred and eight naira). A substantial amount of the state's share of the Statutory Allocation are being deducted at source to service this loan, which unfortunately since July has been increased by 200%. This amount, which is deducted from source has further worsen our financial situation.

Ladies and gentlemen, briefly put, this is what we inherited in Kwara state. However, like I told the House of Assembly, while this profile of obstacles and limitations look daunting, we would not allow ourselves to be defeated by them. Because we are aware of the enormous responsibilities that come with the mandate we freely sought and got from our people, it is easy for us to see all these as challenges rather than as problems. We are convinced that the people voted for us because they share our conviction that there are no easy answers to any problems of governance; because they share our faith in our ability to find answers to these difficult questions of their lives; because they share our belief that with God on our side, we can all work together to make our state great and proud. It is this faith, this conviction, this belief that we have brought with us and hope to share with you so that we can together build a partnership that truly works for our people. But before we go into that let me quickly give you an insight into what we have done since coming on board.

As you are probably aware, the last four years were the most violent in the history of Kwara state. At no other time in our history was so much terror, fear and violence unleashed on our state by a government that was desperate to hang on to power. Our educational institutions were turned to active centres for the recruitment of thugs and gangsters who were used to harass and intimidate innocent people they felt did not share their political viewpoints. In the process, many were killed, and many more maimed and properties destroyed. All these they did in broad daylight because they enjoyed state protection. But we thank God that within our 100 days in office, working actively with the law enforcement agents to recover illegally acquired weapons, we have managed to bring back peace and security to our ‘state of harmony.'

Within 100 days, we have also been able to improve water supply, especially in rural areas where the problem was most acute. We have rehabilitated 200 hand-pump boreholes and sunk 30 new ones across every local government in the state. We have also renovated 17 water works across the state. With this modest achievements, the water situation is gradually improving. However, a lot more work still need to be done in this area. Our target is to get as close as possible to the UNDP target of 25-35 gallons of water for each person per day by the time we complete our tenure.

In the area of road rehabilitation, we have also been able to rehabilitate some major township roads that have persistently caused traffic snarl in the capital city over the years. Already, we have a plan in place to open up new areas and improve rural feeder roads that will complement our agricultural programme and the general development of the rural areas.

In the health sector, we have also launched the vision 2020 programme in Kwara state, making us the only state in the country to have done so. Under this programme, we provided 700 free eye glasses to needy people and carried out 120 free cataract extraction surgery for indigent people. It is our belief that eye problems, like all health problems, necessarily limits the capacity of our people to realise their potentials and fight poverty. In addressing this and other health-related problems, therefore, we are also addressing especially, the core concern of poverty.

Perhaps, it is in the area of employment creation that we have recorded the greater success so far. Within 100 days, we have created employment for about 2400 people through our waste management programme, ‘Clean & Green.' Apart from this created jobs, the capital city is gradually satisfying our target of having the cleanest capital city in Nigeria. Another important area of employment is the ‘Back-To-Farm' programme. Through this revolutionary scheme we have provided support for about 1000 farmers in the state for the development of maize, rice and cassava farming in the state as a means of providing employment, achieving food security and setting the basis for agro-allied industry in the state. Apart from providing free tractor services, the government also provided seedlings, fertilisers and chemicals to the farmers at subsidised rates, while hoping to buy up the produce after harvest. Even though, the programme is still at the pilot stage, we hope to improve on the scheme next year, bring more people in, especially our youths.

I am pleased to inform you that only a few days back, we laid the foundation for the Ilorin Flour Mills with over 1billion Naira investment from Dangote Group of Companies. The flour mill is expected to employ not less than 800 direct workers and another 1,200 indirectly, when it takes off, Insha Allah, February next year. It is also significant to note that the allocation of the land for this project, totaling 28, 600 sq. metres did not take more than two days. This is a key incentive in our investment promotion.

I am also pleased to inform you that we have prospective investors coming in from Southern Africa, who will be investing in poultry and animal farming. Negotiations have reached advanced stage on these. In the case of poultry farming, we have made ready and fully functional existing facilities for 42, 000 layers and broiler capacity pens in the state. All these facilities have been inspected by the prospective investors and found satisfactory.

In the area of rice production, we are already at the advanced stage of a plan to make Kwara the centre of rice production for the entire country. Through a private sector investment of 150 million USD, we intend to achieve a 50, 000 hectares rice farm with 25 fully automatic rice processing mills with a capacity to produce up to 390, 000 tons of rice per annum.

When this project takes off fully, it is projected to ultimately employ 54, 870 people, with guaranteed employment for not less than 10, 000 persons on each of the five phases of the project. Already, extensive technical investigations have been carried out by the investors, and everything, including soil fertility and underground water were found to be perfectly suitable.
We are very optimistic about getting the right support from the Federal Government to ensure effective take-off of this project soon. Already, the Federal Government has approved for our state, 10 de-stoning machines and 5 rice mills. This, I believe is a recognition of our seriousness and strategic significance on the issue of rice production.

Ladies and gentlemen, what where the journey so far has taken us is still far from the destination. However, it is strongly indicative of what is possible if we stay focused and are prepared to engineer the right policies that are anchored on genuine concern to make life more worthy of living for our people. It is also clear to me that this journey is not something than can be completed in a year or two, or even during my tenure as Governor of Kwara state.

We must however, begin now to lay a solid foundation for a future that is more secured and valuable both for us and the generations to come. This is a task that must involve all Kwarans everywhere. It is this task that I invite you to join me in pursuing by building a partnership that will direct resources and opportunities our state. Because, while it has become imperative for us to think globally, it is also very necessary, as they say, for us for us to think locally if we must not lose the essence of our unique identity as a people.

In an increasingly globalised economy where capital move freely across borders seeking the most favourable conditions to settle in, we must continue to create conditions that will direct the flow of capital to our own territory. This is even moreso where so many governments and economies at different stages of development and from diverse parts of the world are chasing the same capital.

Thus, globalisation has heightened competition for capital across borders and no country, especially in the developing world can afford the luxury of folding its arms and hoping that investors would simply stroll in. Every country has to package well and market its comparative advantage to show that it has the right climate, systems and attitude that would allow business and investments to thrive.

These and a combination of vision, strategic thinking and the courage to do the right thing at the right time that transformed the backward agrarian societies of East-Asia to fast-growing, industrial exporters that commanded respect from even the most developed countries of the world. We can make these work for us too.

It is our intention to make Kwara state the Nigerian ‘miracle' by mobilising and adapting the best of experiences in all parts of the world to our specific needs and environment. In its role as facilitator for investment and growth, the Kwara state government would continue to encourage investors by giving all the necessary incentives.

Perhaps, the most important of these potentials is our geographical location. As the gateway between the north and the south of the country, we are strategically positioned to provide access to the vast market potentials on both sides.

In addition to this, Kwara state has a vast land mass that has been proven to be one of the most suitable for all kinds of crop production, especially soya beans, cashew nut and rice. We also have immense potentials for animals and livestock production. All of these are very valuable assets that could combine to provide the basis for the development of major agro-allied industries in the state.

I call on you to join us in developing this vast potentials that abound in our state. Apart from these core areas of investment, my administration has also realised that the only long-term strategic approach to sustainable development is through education. This is why provision of quality education is a major priority of my government. Towards developing a comprehensive strategic plan in this area, we shall later in the year organise an education summit, and I will be pleased to receive some of you in Kwara state for the summit, where we shall be laying an enduring foundation for the future of our children so that they can compete well not only with their counterparts in other parts of the country, but also in all parts of the world.

In the face of declining International Development Assistance, and shrinking national revenue and resources, we can only look up to people like you who are privileged stakeholders in providing support for the efforts we have embarked upon, not only in the areas of direct investment, but also in building technical capacities for our people.

On our own side, we are prepared to give all necessary incentives and support to prospective investors, including going into partnership that may entail the provision of seed capital in some critical areas of interest to us.

Ladies and gentlemen, today we have an opportunity to be part of history, let us embrace it with all the possibilities available to us. As for me and my team, this is what we are resolved to do. Because we are convinced that leadership has meaning only when it is based on service, we shall hope to justify our tenure in office only through this. We invite you to join us in this service to the only state we can truly call our own.