Gov AbdulRazaq Setting Pace On Social Intervention Programmes, Alleviates Poverty For Economic Boost

ALABERE AHMED 

When speaking about the impending challenges facing almost every nation around the globe today, especially in West Africa Region, poverty remains a peculiar topic, which is taking swift increase and remains a torn in the flesh of millions on the African soil in having economic sustainability.

Following the global shock of COVID-19 pandemic and its colossal effect on the entire globe, its impact has by no limit impacted badly to the melting down in human activities, its social economic progression and daily businesses; many still after those years finding it hard to hold their balance.

The resultant of course had equally kept every government, all concerned stakeholders and business tycoons on their toes in chatting a new course for the revival of the economy and the living standards of its citizenry.

Here in Nigeria, since the constitution has set the foremost priority and mandate of every government to be the safety of life and property of its citizenry, hence the need to uphold the balance in the economic stability and social cohesion of its populace remains unnegotiable.

Relatively on such concerned, the Kwara State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, the Executive Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, since its assumption of office, has been very particular in its stride in bridging those vacuums left on the social economic status of the state by the scourge of COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant effect through several intervention programmes, which cut across Health, Education, Infrastructure, Business Enterprises and Social enlivening to the poor, vulnerable groups and people living with disabilities.

Evident upon that is the annual event of distribution of mobility aids to the People Living With Disabilities (PLWD), where numerous items like, wheelchairs, tricycles, guide canes, hearing aids, walking sticks and crutches, worth hundred millions of naira, were distributed. The programme targeted at addressing the needs of the downthrowden and disabled, easing them of their physical state, thereby aiding them to function well as members of the society.

Flashing back to the event, on October, 2023 commemoration of the mobility aids distribution, the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who spoke through his Chief of Staff, Prince Abdulkadir Mahe, reiterated his administration unwavering passion and kindness to the plight of the vulnerable groups and the less privileged.

“I am here this morning to flag off the distribution of mobility aids to people living with disabilities. It is an annual event of this administration to put smiles on the faces of the people living with disabilities. Today’s programme is again one out of the numerous social intervention programmes this administration has executed for the benefit of the citizens. We have continually provided succor to the needy, downtrodden and the less privileged across the nooks and crannies of the State”, he stated.

Whilst this laudable effort, there is still room for the critics, for personal view to pass resenting remark or give it a pass mark. As the Chinese Proverb says “a non observant will work through the whole forest and find no firewood”. Gladly, in our case in Kwara State, the semantic reflection of this proverb is on the positive side as the pragmatic and innovative strides of AbdulRahman’s administration speaks volumes, through the vocational training engagement made available through the Kwara State Ministry of Social Development, to the people living with disabilities, who are under her care, underscores Governor’s foxiness and nonpartisan administrative style.

This step again is a giant stride, an eye opener that sends a signal that there is ability in disability. It is on record that hundreds of PLWD benefited in the training, acquired various vocational skills and were equiped afterward by the State Government so that they become self-reliant and employers of labour.

The Governor said “Our administration has been showing kindness to the people living with disabilities through skills acquisition such as sending them to Farm Craft Centre, Isheri-Olofin, Lagos State to learn certain trades for them to be self-reliant and be productive members of the public.”

In the same vein, the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration has not renege in taking the highest realm of its agenda, the social serenity and public safety. His administration in quickest time, has been able to highlight key factors that can proliferate the peace and safety course of the residents within the state. Thus, through a syndicate effort of Ministry of Social Development and Security Agencies in the State, it has been placing serious watch on every element capable of promoting social unrest, poverty and insecurity within the state.

To the widest dismay of the government, how many people would have thought that those people considered to be at the lowest par of economic ladder, resulted in begging for alms, would have been the agent of disruptions to public peace and serenity. This was uncovered during the evacuation exercise of beggars and lunatics whose free roaming and unkept activities around the state metropolis were perceived by the government to be inimical to the state’s social status and safety of it citizenry.

The press statement from the Ministry of Social Development, on May, 2024, made available through her Press Unit after the event, disclosed that “during the exercise, harmful objects such as knives, a dagger and a plier were recovered from one of those evacuated, hiding under the camouflage of being a plumber at the trado-psychiatric; the culprit was reported to the Ministry and was handed over to the police for further investigation and possible judgement.”

Within the space of three months, no fewer than 150 beggars and mentally ill persons were respectively evacuated from the state metropolis, for sanctioning, relapsing, treatment and reintegration. Some of them were placed on vocational training while some of the mentally ill are still undergoing treatment.

In addition, the current administration, in its human focused policy, has continually fostered programmes aimed at deepening economic boost and financial stability for all and sundary. This is also showcased as the government recently, on September, 2024, empowered more than 34 children released from detention at Borstal Institutions Ganmo, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Even though those children by there action had had contact with law and had served their jailed terms, the government was been proactive by not just releasing them to the society but reviving the good spirit, potential and giving them the ample chance through which they can be best useful and responsible members in the society.

At the event which was sponsored by the Kwara State Government and the United Nations Children’s Funds (UNICEF), the Kwara State Governor re-echoed the need to empower the juvenile ex-convicts, stating that such was to give them psychological support, mentorship in acquiring needed skills to reduce recidivism and foster sense of belonging.

“Let me remind us that, empowerment of ex-convicts is not just a moral obligation, it is a pragmatic approach to enhancing public safety and promoting social cohesion. This humanitarian service is a collective responsibility that all and sundary should embrace with all enthusiasm at providing enabling environment that is more inclusive, where we recognize that every individual deserves opportunities to harness their unique potentials through the provision of our widow’s mite in the acquisition of empowerment tools to the vulnerable groups in our society;” Governor AbdulRazaq, emphasized.

Other areas of his socially impacted project were not left unmentioned. “My administration has impacted positively on various forms of activities that are beneficial to the less privileged and down trodden of the state as well as provision of enabling environment to thrive. This is evident in the renovations of Children Reception Center, Gaa-Akanbi; School for the Special Needs, Oyun; Juvenile Correctional Home, Oko-Erin; provision and distribution of mobility aids to PLWD; job opportunity for person living with disabilities; appointment of persons living with disabilities as Special Advisers and Permanent Secretaries, among others.

Beyond gain saying, the event was very key in safe guiding the future of the young erring lads released, putting them on the right track thereby preserving the future prosperity and economic viability of the state.

Picking from the speech of Dr. Wilfred Mamah, a representative of the UNICEF at the event, “empowering and re-integrating children after a traumatic experience of incarceration should be celebrated by all.”

“How a country treats her children speaks volume of the country’s level of development. Children are special breed because they carry the gene for humanity continuity. When they falter as they often do, they require love, care and guidance to enable them become the best of what they ought to be.”

Dr. Mamah hailed the Kwara State’s Child’s Rights Law as it deeply reflects national and global consensus on how to treat children in conflict with the law.

The event also served as an avenue to counselling and reinvigorating the can do spirit in the lads, who are the beneficiaries of the programme. In his words of admonition, the resource person at the event, an Associate Professor, Department of Educational Management, University of Ilorin, Murtala, Abdulyaqin Tukur (PhD.), enjoined the beneficiaries to see the opportunity granted them by the State government as a second chance, which they must leverage on to bring out the best in them on their next life journey.

Several working tools worth multi-million naira were distributed to the beneficiaries who had during their terms in the detention acquired different vocational skills such as Fashion Designing, Plumbing, Tilling and PoP Interior Work, Photography to mention but a few.

In his words, “a second chance is not just a reset. It is a gift of renewal. It means despite what you may have been through, the future is assured for you to create something extraordinary. Life’s second chance is about – the ability to bounce back, to take what you’ve learnt from your past, and shape your tomorrow with wisdom, strength and hope.”

The government has not left any stone unturned as its administration dividend also extended to the families of the fallen heroes who laid down their lives to safeguard the territorial sovereignty of the state and the nation as a whole. The Governor at the annual commemoration of the Armed Forces Remembrance recognized the valiant and selfless sacrifices of the Fallen heroes likewise the existing members of the Nigeria Armed Forces.

A lump sum amount of millions was donated to the widows of the fallen heroes as a means to provide succor and make life bearable for them.

To this end and with all identified strides of the present administration and other empowerment projects still continue in its various Ministries, Department and Agencies, the administration of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has brought unprecedented progress to our dear State of Harmony, interms of socioeconomic intervention, social sanity, social safety and supports across all social stratifications, thus, setting the pace for other states to emulate in decades to come.

Alabere Ahmed,
Press Secretary,
Ministry of Social Development.