Gov Abdulrazaq's Incompetence, Lack Of Foresight Responsible For Drastic Fall In Kwara's IGR - PDP

The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, notes that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s incompetence and lack of foresight was responsible for the drastic decline in the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for year 2020, as reported by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, NBS.

A new report on ‘IGR Growth of states’ released by the NBS revealed that from 3rd position in 2019, 4th position in 2018, 5th position in 2017 and 3rd position in 2016, Kwara is 35th on the IGR Growth Table, out of the 37 sub-nationals.

According to the report, Oyo, Ondo, Enugu and Osun states have all overtaken Kwara on the IGR table as Kwara generated a total of N19.6 billion in 2020 against the N31billion it realised in 2019 under the immediate past PDP administration of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

The Kwara PDP recalls that former Governor Ahmed through his ingenuity, reformed Kwara’s IGR collection and management system that led to a rapid improvement in the State’s internal revenue growth, which saw Kwara ranked among few most financially sustainable and economically viable states in the country. 

It is however unfortunate and depressing that his successor, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has in less than two years, failed to sustain the laudable legacy left by Governor Ahmed. This is a clear manifestation of his sheer administrative incompetence, lack of foresight and laid-back attitude to and poor understanding of governance.

The latest report by NBS shows that Kwara’s IGR has declined by more than 50 per cent which is an indication that rather than progressing, the State is retrogressing economically under Abdulrazaq. What is more worrisome is that there appears to be no hope as the Governor is bereft of innovative ideas to grow the State’s economy and consequently improve its IGR rating. 

Diversion of LG funds by Gov. Abdulrazaq 

The alarm raised by the national body of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) that Governor Abdulrazaq is diverting local government funds did not come as a surprise to our party and indeed vast majority of Kwarans. 

The disclosure by NULGE has further vindicated our earlier stand that Mr Governor has been cornering and misappropriating resources of the councils since he came on board in May, 2019. It has also rubbished claims by the Abdulrazaq-led administration that local governments in Kwara enjoy independence and financial autonomy.

 

Kwarans will recall that a former Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs under this present administration, Hajia Aisha Ahman-Pategi, had come out to publicly admit that local councils in Kwara do not enjoy financial autonomy and that all is not well with the management of the council’s funds.

 

Pategi accused the then State Commissioner for Finance of fund misappropriation from the LG allocations, and also challenged the State Government to publish the financial accounts of local councils in the State, starting from May, 2019, a challenge the Abdulrazaq administration has been unable to take up.

The Kwara PDP notes that the diversion of LG funds by Governor Abdulrazaq is the main reason he has failed to conduct council elections in the State. Instead, he has appointed his cronies as transition committees, an arrangement that will enable to continue to misappropriate the councils' funds for as long as he wants.

Signed: 

Tunde Ashaolu,

State Publicity Secretary,

Kwara PDP 

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