Agric Initiative, Improved IGR Give Kwara Governor LEAD Award

The Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed was able to win the LEAD Project Africa ‘Man of the Year’ for 2017, beating the likes of Aliko Dangote, Governors Willie Obiano of Anambra State and Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State because of his administration’s initiative in agriculture to develop the state and good innovation to improve on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state. 

The Governor was declared the winner at the 9th edition of the annual award and lecture series held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos on Friday night.

According to the organisers, LEAD Man of The Year is the highest category of award in the LEAD Project Africa which honours a trailblazing personality that has made the greatest impact to people through leadership excellence, enterprise initiatives, employment creations leading to advancement of industry and the development of Africa economy.

Governor Ahmed was shortlisted for the award , according to the organisers stated based on his “agricultural initiatives which was established KAMP in Partnership with Cornell University, New York, University of Ilorin and Kwara State University to create an Agro-driven Economy for Kwara State to develop an Agricultural value chain.

“The Loan facility provided to famers and your empowerment program in the state also created wealth and increased the output of farmers within the state. Your IGR reforms has also positioned the state for greater wealth creation through provision of infrastructure to the people.”

The Governor was represented by the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mahmud Ajeigbe, who received the award on behalf of the Governor.

Members of the panel of judges and advisory board of the award include Christopher Kolade, former Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK; Tunde Samuel, World Bank Consultant on Development; Oladapo Afolabi, former Head of Service of Federation, and Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and Director of World Bank.

Others are Frank Jacob – MAN President; Kyari Bukar, Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group; Abigail Ogwuezzy, Unilag’s First Female Professor of Mass Communication; G.B. Kankanrufi, DG Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Ralph Akinfeleye, DG, Unilag FM.