SDP guber candidate unveils 3-point agenda for Kwarans, projects N10bn monthly IGR

By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin

Gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kwara State, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal has unveiled his three-point agenda of infrastructural development, industrialization and human capital development as the primary foundations on which he intends to build his administration should he be elected the next governor of the state. 

Lawal, son of the former governor of the state, late Rear Admiral Mohammed Lawal, restated his commitment to restore the fortune of the North Central State and bring it back to the path of progress and prosperity.

Lawal, while speaking with journalists in Ilorin, explained that the dynamics of the present realities require that things must be done differently to get a refreshing results to positively affect the lives of the people.

According to him, in order to secure a solid financial base for the state, his administration would target Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of about N10 billion monthly from the current N2 billion.

“What our administration would do is to block all loopholes, reduce activities of consultants in revenue generation and motivate staff of Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS). This will help the state accrue more revenue because consultants will only take a percentage of what they collect. We will also improve staff welfare and reward excellent performance by civil servants.

“And when it comes to taxation, we realized that every single civil servant gets taxed, but the private sector don’t get being taxed sufficiently. Why? This must be corrected.” he said.

On education and human capital development, he stated that he will provide a solution for Kwarans on the basis of education.

“It means we must revive our technical schools and colleges. As of today, our people can hardly compete when it comes to technical know-how. If you look at the building industry for instance, many of the professionals competing there are from places like Republic of Benin, Togo Ghana, etc.

“In order for us to move forward and regain the glory of the past, we must first begin to re-assess ourselves and set up the same modules across these areas. It has worked for us in the past and must work for us again,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Kale Belgore, the Director-General (Operations) of the SDP Campaign Council emphasized that the party remained the only credible alternative for Kwarans in the present circumstances.

He said: “The O to ge revolution of 2019 that enthroned the present administration in the state was a collective struggle, but regrettably, we are on a differently lane today.

“We are lucky to have Lawal and the party took the right decision to field Lawal because he was born and bred in Ilorin and a proud son of Kwara.”