Kwara Has No Economy

Before I proceed, let me ask a question. In your view, where will Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed lead Kwara to if allowed to continue as governor? I ask this question because, if education has crumbled in this state to an extent that, out of 100% student that wrote WAEC in 2014, only 29.5% have 5 credits. If the Kwara State health sector have totally declined to an extent that, the outbreak of malaria and other diseases have increased by 45% in the last 5 years. Also, if the state of harmony is now ranked 4th most unsafe state in terms of crime, If it is ranked as the 3rd least state that provide job opportunities for its youths and if its ranked 4th least with the lowest GDP. Certainly we must ask, where will maigida lead Kwara to should he continue as Kwara State governor? These statistics are easily available at the Bureau for statistics.

Last year, my sister who resides in Odota area in Ilorin was attacked by armed robbers and their properties and other valuables were catered away. Her husband was shot, but to God be the glory, he survived after many months in hospital bed. Also, a colleague of mine, who is a media personnel working with one of the national daily newspaper was equally attacked in his home at Gaa-Akanbi area of ilorin last year. His phones, laptop, cash and other materials were also taken away.

On several occasions, banks in many communities within Kwara state such as Offa, Omu-aran, Share and others were being regularly shot down for days as a result of armed robbery which had become a reoccurring activities in those communities.

It is worth to note that, in some of these robery incidents, banks were written by the robbers prior to their inversion, but despite that, security cannot be guaranteed in this state of harmony. This is how unsafe Kwara had suddenly become. We must ask, when did Kwara youths suddenly become robbers?

I must confess, It beats my imagination that armed robbers have become this bold in the state of harmony that they attack people at home, in banks and other places at will even in day time. This is not the peaceful Kwara we used to know.

According to statistics at the bureau for statistics, armed robbery cases reported to the police across Nigeria indicate that, out of the 36 states of Nigeria, Kwara is the 4th most unsafe state in Nigeria as crime rate had increased by 60% in the past few years. By this, I mean that, the rate of crime in Kwara is the 4th largest in Nigeria and in my view, this is as a result of bad government and massive youth unemployment and in some cases, under employment. This is a state where no single civil servant earn up to N100,000 as monthly salary from level 1 to 15. No matter there years of service or qualification, there salary has been pegged to be below N100,000. Also, this is a state where workers get promotion from one level to the other, only to receive N100 as salary increment.

While the state Government continue to lie about creating jobs, things are becoming more ugly and Kwarans are becoming more restless and frustrated.

Kwara, which is known to be the state of harmony had suddenly become a state of massive criminality. It is worth to add that, many travelers are being attacked on a daily basis around Oloru area. Just last week, a friend returning from kaduna was attacked on his way. For years, we continue to hear about this robbery incidence on the same spot, but no measure has been put in place to check it till date. What else do we need to convince us that this government have failed woefully? In other states across Nigeria where governance is taken seriously,health of citizens are given first class consideration, but in Kwara state, the reverse is the case.

In the last 5 years, as responsible states are working hard to reduce malaria and other frequently occurred diseases, statistics shows that, reported cases of malaria had increased by 45% in the last 5 years in Kwara State.

Before now, I have praised the efforts of the Kwara state government in rehabilitating some hospital across the state, but unknown to me, it was a calculated attempt to deceive the populace. While the State Government seems to have rehabilitated some hospitals in its outlook, nothing in terms of equipment, drugs, medical facilities and personnel were provided in the said hospitals. Investigation shows that, only colored paints were showered on the outer part of the building, nothing has so far been provided inside.

It would interest you to also know that, the Kwara State general hospital only have 2 doctors who work on shift. They can't attend to any serious illness or emergency situation because they have no equipments, no drugs and no personnel.

May God continue to give us good health so we would never have cause to visit the general hospital for any emergency situation, because if not, you will realize how empty the much hyped hospital rehabilitation is all about. If you want to confirm, just take a sick person to general hospital and they would tell you, go to Oke-Oyi. The question is, why do we have an over hyped general hospital if they can treat people? The hospital only treats minor illnesses like what ordinary chemist shops in our areas treat and even at that, the hospital don't have any drug to offer the sick. They just write name of drugs on paper and ask the sick to go get it else where. We must ask, what sort of general hospital is that?

Furthermore, it has been observed that education is kwara state is nothing to write home about. Infact, the Kwara state education sector is about to crumble. In 2014, out of 100% students that sit for WAEC, only 29.5% passed with 5 credits. The remaining 70.5% failed woefully.

The question on the lips of every reasonable Kwaran is that, why should Kwara State that produced the likes of AGF Abdulrazaq,first lawyer in northern Nigeria stoop so low in educational development?

Why are our school's ill-equipped? Why are our children failing so woefully? This must be addressed urgently.

It is important to observe that, only schools in Ilorin metropolis have certain level of conducive environment, schools in other parts of the state only have sorry tales to tell. We must equally note that, even schools within the city of ilorin are ill-equipped with relevant materials needed to impact knowledge. If you move across state owned schools, you would see many schools with crumbling building structures. You would see school without teachers. Children reading under trees etc, and when you come across some teachers in these schools, you would ask yourself, can this teacher impact the required knowledge? What am saying in essence is that, many of the teachers in our government schools doesn't posses the required teaching skills. We must then ask, why has the Kwara State government abandon education?

Why has the state government deliberately under-fund the education sector? Why are there no competent teachers in our schools? Why are students learning under trees in Kwara South and Kwara North? And finally, why are the few available teachers not well equipped to impact knowledge?

In my view, this is a result of bad government. A government that abandon education is more like a boko haram government. Government always claim to have employed teachers, but they are never seen in our schools.

In addition, the Kwara State government is saying it has improved the economy of the state, but dear Kwaran, kindly follow me to the bureau for statistics and see how the Kwara State economy is doing in numbers.

But before then, we must ask, what is an economy? By definition, Economy or economic system consist of the production, distribution/trade and consumption of limited goods and services by different agents in a given location.The economic agent could be government, individuals,businesses or organizations. Economic activities was theorized to be bounded by natural resources,technology, labor and capital.

Talking about Kwara economy in GDP, Kwara State is among the weakest states in Nigeria. Out of 36 states in Nigeria, Kwara is ranked 32nd.

By this, I mean that, Kwara is the 4th poorest economy in Nigeria. The GDP of a state is a measure of the size of its economy. This is apart from the fact that, Kwara pays the poorest salary in Nigeria. Level 6 officer in kwara state earn about 23,000, the same level 6 officer in Osun state earn 39,000.

Since Kwara is not an island, we must not go in isolation. The northeastern troubled states like Borno, Yobe and Adamawa even have better economy than Kwara.

We must also note that, the Nigerian national average GDP for states is $9,285, but Kwara fall far below the national average, it has $3,841. If I may ask, how is Kwara economy striving? Realistically, Kwara doesn't have any economy. Atleast, not any driven by government policies. The economic activities happening in Kwara is not as a result of any government initiatives or policy, its more like a natural economic activities in any location where people resides.

In the whole of Nigeria, kwara economy is only sligtly better than that of 3 states, Kebbi, Taraba and Nasarawa State. Don't forget, Kwara is one of the first 12 states created in Nigeria. Although, I am aware that Kwara has witnessed massive influx of populace in recent years. But the rise of Kwara population is not about any government initiative, rather, it Is as a result of crisis In northern Nigeria.

Just like Internally Displaced People who moved from the 3 troubled northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to other places within and outside Nigeria.

People that have been living in the northwest who are tired of the incessant violence conflicts in those areas want to relocate to a place where they can have a feel of the north and south respectively, so Kwara seems to be a perfect place. These people bring their little available resources and invest for sustainability. Also, the unbearable situation in Lagos have forced many Kwarans to return home.

It must be noted that, while ordinary citizens coming from the north recognize the unique position of kwara in the center of Nigeria, Kwara state government seems to be less insightful. They have failed to tape into the opportunity that unique position bestowed.

Kwara government didn't make any headway in terms of growing the state economy, they are contented with the federal allocation and the little tax they collect. This is why you see that, in Lagos, Osun, Oyo and others places, pure water sells for N5 naira, but in Kwara, it sells for N10. You would want to ask, is there more money in Kwara than all those states? Why is the same product more costly in Kwara than those states? That is a state without economy. Kwara government have failed to build a citizen driven economy for the state, it has failed to provide enabling environment for businesses to survive.

My engagement with Dangote Flour Mill convince me that, businesses cannot grow in Kwara. Only businesses that rely on the upper class who derive funding from government or outside the state can be sustained. It is worth to note that, Kwara has abundant mineral resources such as tantalite, lead, etc. In some states such as Jos, Gombe etc, these states improved their economy by providing enabling environment for mineral exploration. In return, they earn tax and through the explorers, they provide social services for the exploring communities as well as provide jobs for the youths in those areas.

In Kwara, there is no enabling environment for exploration of this minerals. The most painful part of the issue is that, there is no any policy to support economic growth by the state government. This is a state that doesn't have source of income, yet acquiring massive debt which is being wasted on irrelevant projects. Billions were wasted on Cargo, but till date, its not functioning. Billions were wasted on Diagnostic center, but I ask you, what economic value does it add to the state economy? If the state government is wise and reasonable, all those funds wasted on white elephant projects would be channeled into productive ventures that would create alternative source of income. If the government is efficient, it would have introduced policy to make its solid mineral sectors functional.

By: Abdulrazaq O Hamzat (Mr.Rights)
He can be reached on [email protected]

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Articles by Abdulrazaq Oyeabnji Hamzat