TheCable

BY ABIODUN MOHAMMED

Communication in the contemporary world has become quite challenging to experts lucky to have their skills sharpened, updated, and refreshed in line with rapid technological advancement.

It is challenging as many speakers today become sorry sights in many public fora speaking to themselves with many of their listeners dosing off, others busy doing other things while the self-delusioned speaker is lost in his mindset that he is being listened to.

Same with many writers who are guilty of the arrogance of assumption, thinking their perception is synonymous with the reality of the people who are the targets of their write-up.

Many of such writers obey only their sentiments, feelings, and sheer illusions and conclude they mean the same to the better informed reading public.

Olukayode Thomas, a Lagos-based hack is one of such writers and paid agents.

Thomas and his paymasters are yet to come to terms that the 2019 Otoge revolution has eased his ilk out of job as the electorate in Kwara State and indeed the generality of the people are no longer in doubt of a responsive, responsible, visionary, and performing Governor such as AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq and of course, his paymasters who had decades of looting the State resources with total impunity.

Despite the futility of a similar write-up by Thomas in 2020, one wonders the incentives for his paymasters to continue to waste what is left of Kwara resources in their possession to fund such a wasteful exercise.

For the sake of emphasis, Thomas needs to be reminded that it was after his ill-informed write-up in 2020 to suit his paymasters that the entire people of Offa local government, his home town, who are among the most informed, well enlightened, and educated communities in Kwara State massively endorsed Governor AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq for a 2nd term in full appreciation of the Governor’s positive impact, legacy projects and meaningful appointments for proud indigenes of the local government.

Need Thomas to be awakened that this has been replicated in virtually all the 16 local government areas of the State by all relevant stakeholders, the electorate, men, and women of integrity, and the youths in the State.

Thomas, a well-known media contractor and paid agent of villains of Otoge revolution having failed to gain an inroad into the AbdulRazaq’s administration for contracts and sport management consultancy is doing a follow up to his attack on the governor about a year ago to help his paymasters regain relevance in Kwara Politics and to resume unhindered access to the state treasury.

Thomas crass knowledge of the capital market is revealed when he faulted the proposed bond acquisition by the state government when he said some of the projects the bond is meant to fund were already in the State 2021 appropriation bill.

Even when his interviewees spewed gibberish while gathering his information, one would expect any journalist of note to research his subject before going to press. A budget is a mere estimate of income and expenditure over a period of time. And one of the means of funding a budget is bond at the capital Market. A quick reminder to Thomas that his friends in the previous administration procured bonds at the capital market but true to their stock in trade the proceeds were diverted for their personal use.

As for the Issuing house, it is a well-known fact that bond procurement follows diligent scrutiny at the capital market; if the criteria are not met, the bond will not be issued.

Under the world-acknowledged transparency, due diligence and accountability framework put in place by AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq ‘s administration, Thomas and his paymasters must acknowledge that Kwara money is safe in the hands of their governor and every penny spent will be accounted for unlike their past era of profligacy, corruption and total impunity.

He also said that the claim by a former Commissioner of Local Government that money was stolen remains unchallenged. one  Sympathizes with Thomas because he rarely comes home. The issue of the Local Government funds was laid to rest by an independent investigative panel set up by the state government   Governor  AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq was given a clean bill.

On Local Government election, un-like Thomas who is not in touch with the reality at home, the  electorate and the entire people of Kwara State are fully aware and well-informed that the  administration is being prevented from conducting the election by pending litigations in the court of law

It will be recalled that on an assumption of office, the State House of Assembly investigated the local governments and indicted them of corruption.

Thomas also missed the point when he dabbled into the dispute within the Kwara State All Progressive Congress. The truth is that those calling for the head of the Governor are only trying to take the people of the state back to Egypt. Kwara has had enough of politicians who do not care about the development and welfare of the people of the State. That indeed is the Spirit and Letter of the  Oto Ge revolution!

That decision is not about individuals, it was a collective decision in the General Elections of 2019 when the people of the State voted en masse for AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq. He promised to be different. They believed him and voted him as their Governor.

Is the Governor fulfilling his promise? Yes of course!

In offa where Thomas comes from, the testimony is that they have never had it so good.

From the inception of his administration, the Executive Governor AbdulRazaq has left no one in doubt about his determination to restore the lost glory of the State through impactful projects

The Governor is building infrastructure and embarking on projects that are touching lives across the state.

In just two years, he has constructed over 120 roads across the state.

Is Thomas aware of the state of education prior to AbdulRazaq’s administration? Many school buildings were an eyesore.

For a start, over 600 schools are being renovated across the state under the UBEC counterpart fund while new teachers have been recruited by the State government.

He has also injected fresh blood into the civil service while civil servants who have been stagnated over a period of time are now being promoted as at when due.

Those who have left the service are now being paid their pension and gratuity unlike what was obtained in the past.

At the moment, no civil servant in the state earns less than 30 Thousand Naira which is the minimum wage in Nigeria.

This administration has equally recorded landmark achievements in the area of youth employment which include:

Over 4,000 youths were recruited into teaching jobs while the administration has established kwarapreneurs to support youths with viable business ideas or existing ones with interest-free loans, ranging from N350,000 to N3m targeting 1,200 young people.

This is beside the launch of 500 hectares farm in each of the 16 local government areas of the state with a pilot Programme in Ifelodun LG.

The state social Investment programme is a replica of what was obtained at the federal level. These come in different forms such as Owo Ishowo for traders Owo Arugbo; conditional cash  transfer for the aged and vulnerable and K-Power for the creation of jobs for the youths

There is an ongoing construction of an Innovation Hub to provide a platform and echo system for youths while the State has an  Enterprise Development in IT. Over 10000 youths have been trained in digital technology.

There was also a massive repositioning of the health sector in the state. Hospitals have been renovated and equipped while doctors and hundreds of health workers have been recruited.

These are a few of the AbdulRahman laudable strides in about two years, a feat no governor in the state has achieved within the same period.

There is no doubt that Thomas carried out a paid job to smear a governor that has been praised for embarking on projects that have touched many lives.

The governor should remain focused and ignore distractions from those who do not mean well for the state, especially doubting Thomases.

Abiodun Mohammed lives in Ilorin, the Kwara State Capital