2nd Term: Gov Ahmed set to shock Kwarans over appointments

*Plans lean cabinet – Sources *To play less politics, more performance *Our expectations from him – Kwara Residents

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, may shock Kwarans with appointment as he reportedly plans to operate a lean cabinet in his second term, National Pilot, has learnt.

To this end, the governor, who was sworn-in on Friday for a fresh four-year term, had reportedly decided to appoint technocrats who will help to drive his administration’s mission statement; and actualise his planned policies and programmes. The state governor had recently announced that fresh blood would be injected into his new cabinet, the development that had made some of his then executive members jittery. According to multiple sources close to the governor, he is determined to play less attention to politics; rather, he would strive to ensure that all his electioneering promises were achieved before his tenure expires in May, 2019. One of the sources hinted that the governor may appoint a very few politicians, who will serve as intermediaries between him, leadership and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on whose platform he was re-elected. The source disclosed that Ahmed might also shock some of the lobbying politicians with his new appointment, as he was said to have made up his mind to run a lean cabinet with only with those who share his vision and who will deliver if given the opportunity to serve. It will be recalled that Ahmed shortly after his swearing ceremony on Friday, announced six political appointments. They are: Isiaka Gold – Secretary to the State Government; Hajia Zarah Umar - Head of Service; Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab - Chief of Staff; Muyideen Akorede – Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity; Ibrahim Kayode Adeyemi – Senior Special Assistant, Government House; Abdulwahab Oba – Chief Press Secretary and Segun Abifarin – Special Assistant Domestic. Gold, Akorede, Adeyemi, Oba and Abifarin had previously served in the Ahmed’s first cabinet. While Hajia Umar was until her appointment as the HoS was the permanent secretary in the office of the state’s Head of Service; and Abdulwahab was the Director-General, Bureau of Lands before his new appointment. The source said: ''In this second term, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, is determined and ready to surpass his first term achievements and to realise this; he would play less of politics and concentrate on good governance and dividends of democracy. ''The governor in these four years, may shock Kwarans with the calibre of personalities that he would appoint into his administration and this is evidenced with the first six appointments he made. Though, the re-appointed SSG had served in his cabinet in the last four years, he is not a known politician; rather he is a retired permanent Secretary. Also, the former DG, Bureau of Lands, was into a corporate world before his initial appointment by the governor. ‘’Also, the SSA Media and CPS and other new appointees are not known politicians but technocrats who have risen to the peak of their career before their various appointments. ‘’With this development and going by the determination of the governor, some Kwara politicians who are not technocrats may not be appointed and if, their number in the new cabinet may be smaller unlike the dissolved cabinet. ‘’Also, the governor may streamline his appointment and scrap some political offices in order to operate a lean cabinet and to ensure that those who will serve in his government are goal getters and result-oriented''.

Ahmed had in his second term inauguration speech said: ''I believe that this will be a defining moment in our history. Certainly, I, Abdulfatah Ahmed, will not rest until the prosperity that our state once enjoyed is restored. My administration’s priority remains the people’s welfare. ''We will build more schools, roads, hospitals, power projects and structures needed to get more of our youths working, businesses growing, food on more tables and greater prosperity for everyone who calls Kwara State home. ''This administration will upscale development and boost entrepreneurship to get a greater number of our youths working. Starting from today, we will begin the work of transforming our state to the North Central’s Economic hub. ''We will create a new frontier of prosperity where everyone has the opportunity to better their lives subject only to their willingness to apply themselves. ''...in line with this, we intend to enhance functional education and expand access to formal education. We will overhaul an initial 120 secondary schools across the state by building 1,274 new classrooms and rehabilitating 2,000 existing classrooms. ''Additionally, we will open new campuses for the Kwara State University, KWASU in Ilesha-Baruba with the establishment of the College of Agricultural Science and another one in Osi where we will locate the new College of Architectural and Environmental Studies. '...In working towards these targets, I will build a team of experienced men and women who share our vision and are prepared to put in the hard work necessary for the task ahead. ''We must all be prepared to tighten our belts, to make sacrifices, and moderate our expectations of government.