I’m Building Kwara To Survive Without Monthly Federal Allocation— AbdulRazaq

The Kwara State Government has said it has ventured into a massive infrastructural project to save the state from reliance on allocation from the Federation Account.

AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the state governor said this at the opening of the 8th Kwara State Joint Trade Fair in Ilorin on Tuesday, according to a statement sent to THE WHISTLER.

The governor said his administration is making deliberate investments in revenue generating infrastructure like roads, innovation hub, visual arts centre, garment factory, among others.

AbdulRazaq said, “As a government, our most important agenda is to build a state that survives on enterprise with zero reliance on the monthly handouts from the centre. For this reason, we are investing in infrastructure and offering support to investors and businesses.

“In addition to our investments in the digital economy through the innovation hub and the Dolby studio-fitted visual arts centre, we are also constructing an international conference centre in Ilorin.”

He described the facility as a two-in-one hospitality facility that would be the best of its kind in central Nigeria.

“We are doing this in partnership with the private sector. The gold-standard facility will make Kwara a go-to place for tourism, resort and conferencing in Nigeria. This will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and attract better attention to the state,” he said.

The governor also reiterated his commitment to make the state more business friendly.

According to him, his government is working hard to eliminate double taxation which has stifled investment in the state.

AbdulRazaq said the state would deepen trade through technology.

He said, “Channels of trade and exchange of goods as we knew it are also changing. Today, commodities and assets worth billions of naira are now sold to customers in the remotest corners of the world with just a click of the mouse. The time therefore calls for everyone to grab the opportunities that technology has offered to deepen trade.

“We know a few things bother you in the business community. I assure you that all obstacles to ease of doing business are being looked into. And, very soon, we will roll out comprehensive reforms to make doing business cheaper and stress-free in Kwara State. This will be contained in an Executive Order which contains specific measures in this regard.

“There is so much that any government can do without the support of the private sector. We therefore bank on your continuous support.”