Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed

By Hammed Shittu and Paul Obi

As the Federal Government and Governors of the 36 States await the judgment of the Supreme Court on revenue distribution, Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Tuesday urged the Federal Government to consider a holistic review of revenue allocation among the three tiers of government.

Ahmed made the remark in Ilorin, during the visit by the Good Governance Tour, led by Minister of Information, Labaran Maku.

Speaking on the nation’s federal structure, the governor observed that a review of the resource allocation formula will help accelerate economic growth and as well bring about even development across the country.

While calling for effective planning, Ahmed said: “We have to work hard to be stronger as a benchmark for other African countries, we should be clear leaders in defining unity in diversity, such kind of event will create a platform for the people to feel the impact of the projects.”

He maintained that, the impact can be achieved when future resources can be allocated accordingly, “the government should review the way resources are allocated at the federal, a review of resources allocation is required in terms of it projects in various states.”

“This initiative deserves commendation, because it is a platform to have a feel of what the states are doing, projects abandoned or not touched at all, this will afford us to see what has been done and how resources will be shared,” he said.

Ahmed said it was important the Federal Government and the states government also embark on collaborative efforts at ensuring constant maintenance of developmental projects that are scattered across the country.

He said such collaboration on common policy and commitment between state and federal government would add values to the well being of the populace.

The governor also said local, state and federal government should be able to work together to bring about greater development in the country.

He said the tour would enhance generation of first hand information on works that are in progress, abandoned, and the challenges at hand, adding that it would also assist FG to plan future allocation of fund on projects in states of the federation.

Maku on his part called for more synergy between the Federal Government and the 36 states of the federation in the task of ensuring the completion of various developmental projects across the nation, adding: The federal and state government cannot work separately.”

He said it was by so doing that the dividends of democracy will be brought to the doorsteps of the populace without any hindrance.

Maku told the gathering that governance should be about quality partnership so as to bring more meaningful socio-economic development to the people.

Maku also said the good governance tour was an assessment of projects still under work-in-progress in parts of the country, which is in pursuit of democracy to promote people’s welfare.

Projects inspected include the ongoing Ilorin-Ogbomoso expressway, the construction of railway line in parts of the state and the projects at Michael Imoudu Institute of Labour Studies (MBILS), Ilorin, among others.