Gov Abdulrahman Commences
Gov Abdulrahman Commences ‘Iseya’ in Kwara
State
(Being an Inaugural Address by Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq,
Governor, Kwara State at the inauguration Ceremony, Government
House , Ilorin, Kwara State, May 29, 2019)
Ahusubilai Mina Shaitan Rajim, Bismillai Rahman Raheem.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
All praises and adoration to Allah who has made it possible for us
to witness this glorious day in the history of political
development of Kwara State.
In the history of a people, a time comes when they individually
and collectively decide to take their destiny in their own hands
and fashion an alternative narrative and quest for peace, progress,
growth and development for themselves and future generations.
Kwarans reached that decision-making point when they collectively
decided to vote us into office on March 9, 2019.
Allow me to thank Allah for keeping us alive and in good health
to see this historic day and thank you Kwarans for the confidence
you have reposed in us in the course of our struggle to redefine,
refocus and reposition our State. Let me also acknowledge my Party,
the All Progressives Congress (APC)- its officials and field
workers at all levels, for their support and hard work.
As you know, our victory, is only the beginning of our
collective vision for a better Kwara.
I cannot so easily forget how the collective will, courage and
determination of our people, irrespective of class or religion
initiated, nurtured and propelled the Otoge movement that was the
foundation, soul and spirit of our victory at the polls. You all
fought against all odds and at great cost. Many of you were
blackmailed, abused, humiliated and harassed in several ways
because you simply said enough is enough.
It is my prayers that Allah will never forget you and will give
you the strength to enjoy our victory. I believe we all know that
the Otoge movement and victory does not belong to any single
person. It belongs to the people of Kwara. The spirit of that
movement shall always remain with us as we work to achieve our
dreams.
If Otoge got us through the struggle to the point of victory,
and given the enormous task of reformation and reconstruction
ahead, it is now time for Iseya. As you will all agree, there is so
much to be done. These range from institutional reforms and
reconstruction, infrastructural development, human capacity
building, social welfare and policy reforms to other
socio-economic, cultural, scientific and administrative
repositionings. It is not in our tradition to shy away from
challenges. We shall engage them and find solutions.
We all know about the now legendary infrastructure deficits,
decay and deprivations that our people have endured in the past 16
years. Now that we have put our hands on the wheel of peace,
progress and sustainable development, we must redouble our efforts
and show to the world that we know the difference between progress
and stagnation.
Let me state that our goal in Office is not to lament over the
sad past. Rather, our goal is to build confidence that a better
future is possible; create an enabling environment to empower our
people and communities.
Based on data from the research we have been conducting on the
resource base of our State, there is no doubt that we are
abundantly blessed in human and material resources. I make bold to
say that there is enough wealth and opportunities for everyone in
this state.
What we have lacked before now are dependable and sustainable
development plans, credible policies and policy discipline,
accountability and transparency, a good sense of social justice and
ability to expand social and political spaces that will promote
tolerance, equality and innovation. These are areas where our
government will make a difference.
This is not the time to reel out a litany of what programmes and
policies will be pursued by our Administration just to please the
ears. What we stand for is to empower our people. Make society and
life better. Strengthen family values. Improve efficiency and
service delivery in our public services.
Revamp our education to produce the best minds that will in turn
make Kwara second to none. Promote industry, agriculture,
technology and social services and open up new vistas of
opportunities that will promote the common good.
Fellow Kwarans, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we are
confident that we shall, together, make Kwara great again through
prudent deployment of resources, involving the people in policy
making, interrogating past decisions only to the extent that they
enable us to move forward.
We shall be fully committed to participatory governance by
transforming the relationship between government and the people by
continually building mutual trust.
In all our policies, programmes and actions, the people of Kwara
shall always come first.
Today, I invite you all to join hands with us in Government to
repair and rebuild Kwara. I invite constructive criticism and urge
you all to utilise our open door policy to communicate ideas and
suggestions to us.
This is your government, love it, hold it, pray for it and work
with it so that our dreams will come true. As for me and those I
will be working with, we have no other State than Kwara; we have no
other dream than Kwara, and we have no other priority than Kwara.
It is our home: let us build a true State of Harmony together:
Iseya !!!
May Allah continue to bless our State.
Abdulrahman Abdulrasak
Governor of Kwara State