Is Gov AbdulRazaq truly a new Sheriff in Town?
By Abdulwahab Tajudeen
Governance, no doubt has taken a new turn in Kwara, purposefully, the Chief Security Officer of the state has redefined the term with an up and doing attitude towards the deliverance of his promises, Patigi today, Ifelodun tomorrow, and Baruteen in the next minute, a step we can depict as taken governance to the doorstep of the citizens.
The inauguration of the cabinet members held a few days ago also brings forth some smiles in relation to further hope of astronomical development. Even though overdue, it serves as a relief for the supporters of the government of the day as it was a point of criticism by the opposing camp to the administration, the period of no cabinet has been described as one vapid period.
The inauguration has come and gone, several pieces of advice have been reeled out to the new cabinet members “commissioners” and special drivers from the viewpoints of politicians, writers, public analysts and Citizens who have the best in mind for their state. There have been attacks and counter-attacks criticizing the Governor on his decision — having nine women in the cabinet, of course, was unprecedented.
It has been a tug of war between the naysayers and the yeasayers, each defending their beliefs and perceptions, exercising the right to opinions and freedom of expression as enshrined in democratic settings as ours.
Did I have any opinion on the cabinet formation? I will wait to measure their performances against profiling them in the space of resume as done by many naysayers and won’t support them blindly as employed by the yeasayers. This I will do for the sake of fair hearing. May I wish them Best of luck as they contribute their part to Kwara development and history.
Another big event that follows was the presentation of the 2020 Budget proposal for policies and programs of the Government of Kwara state for the 2020 financial year. The budget, christened ‘Budget of Reconstruction’ as described by an expert is modest and as well passes the test of reality. With some claims as presented during its presentation begging for further explanation.
His excellency, the executive Governor of the state, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, claimed the budget came with a particular uniqueness in its funding, opening balance of ₦7bn, amounting to 4.3% of the required budget proposal funding is indeed unique, no state in recent time has laid claim to such feat, however, the money is an accrued saving of the state fund in the past seven months as claimed, This statement then digs out some questions as to how the government came about the figure.
Understandably, the government inherited ₦4.8billion in as a Tax refund, where did we get the balance of ₦2.2billion? How much apart from the tax refund has the state gulped in revenue? How much did we expend to arrive at such savings?
I think for the advancement of good governance lazed with transparency, the state government needs to give us the breakdown. Of course, as a Kwaran, I am curious as to how we arrived at that figure.
May God bless Kwara.
