ISSUES RAISED AT YESTERDAY’S STAKEHOLDERS ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION CONVENED BY SPEAKER ALI AHMAD.

On Thursday, the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Ali Ahmad convened a roundtable discussion at the Assembly Complex, where issues bordering on the development of the State were discussed.

The meeting, which was largely interactive had in attendance members of political parties including the opposition, representatives of labour and trade unions, traditional and religious leaders, journalists as well as representatives of student and youth groups within the State. Some members of the State Assembly were also present.

In his address, the Speaker noted that the meeting was called to identify the challenges facing the State and provide probable solutions to address them so as to fast track development in Kwara. He spoke on the need to identify things that can be done in the short term to improve the economy of the State.

Hon. Ahmad also enjoined political parties and other stakeholders to come together and work for the development of the State.

He, thereafter, went through the details of capital projects for Kwara State that were included for execution in the 2016 Federal Government budget. The inclusion of the projects was said to have been facilitated and influenced by the lawmakers representing Kwara at the National Assembly.

Some of the projects include the construction of Kishi-Kaiama road, Afon-Aboto Oyo State boundary road, Patigi-Kpada road, Offa By-Pass road, dualization of Ibadan-Ilorin section II, rehabilitation of Ohan & Moro bridges, rehabilitation of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa road, Kabba-Isanlu-Egbe road, Ilorin-OmuAran-Egbe road and the dualization of Kulende-UITH Oke ose road and Michael Imoudu-Ganmo/Afon road.

Others are completion of dredging and channelization of Asa River (on-going), completion of Erosion control and Road project at Ora-Agbeku-Edidi road, Erosion control and road works at Ajasse-Igbonla-Ajengbe-Agbamu road and rehabilitation and expansion of water works in Kwara Central. (Kindly check the pictures aatached to this post to see the complete details of the projects).

The Speaker revealed that some of the projects were also captured in the State’s 2016 budget.

People in attendance at the meeting expressed their delight over the inclusion of these projects for Kwara State in the FG 2016 budget. They, however, said that the execution of the projects remains the most important thing to them.

In this regard, a resolution was reached that the Senate President and other lawmakers must put pressure on the FG to ensure the execution of the projects and that none of the projects should be removed in case the FG wants to adjust the budget.

Hon. Ali Ahmad assured that the resolution will be passed to the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

One of the stakeholders present raised a point that the projects to be executed in Kwara State by the federal government should be handled by indigenous contractors in Kwara State. The Hon. Speaker, however, said the state cannot at this stage influence or dictate how the projects should be executed, as it is powered from the federal level.

Unilorin ASUU Chairman, Dr. Raheem raised an issue on the ongoing construction of shops along fate road, stating that the developers did not consider parking space for cars. He stated the fact that when completed, shop owners will have cars and also customers will also come with cars. He stressed that when the shops are completed and become operational, there will be traffic chaos on that road.

The Speaker promised that the House will look into the matter, and if considered to be hazardous, the House of Assembly will do all within its power to get the project stopped.

The GMD of Harmony Holdings clarifies that the project of construction of shops along Fate road is not a project of Harmony Holdings but that of the State Bureau of Lands.

Hon. Ali Ahmad also spoke on the need for the State government to bring in foreign