By 
By Alhaji Bashir Adigun
The Kwara State Social Investment Programme is not the same as beggers’ hands out used by the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bukola Saraki in Ile L’oke which subjected many women to humiliation and stampede while queuing for the handouts.
When we said that the PDP is suffering from selective amnesia, its latest criticism of the Government’s Social investment programme is one of the many examples to prove our position . We are appalled that the corrupt and rejected Peoples Democratic Party would criticize a programme that has the backing of the law. The law backing the Social investment Programme was approved by the State House of Assembly.
Beside, there is an established agency of the Government,Kwara State Social Investment Programme ( KWASSIP). This Government agency before now has been providing safety nets, such as Owo Isowo, Owo Arugbo, and Kwararepnure for the underprivileged and Startups businesses in the state.
For the record, the State Social Investment Programme has lifted so many Kwarans as can be seen below:
1. Owo Isowo: 31,893 Petty traders benefitted.
2. Owo Isowo: 11,197 Transporters benefitted.
3. Owo Arugbo: over 8,000 aged people are getting 3,000 monthly for a year
4. SME Recovery Fund: after EndSars, 48 Entrepreneurs got grants to resuscitate their businesses
5. Kwapreneur 1.0: 170 businesses benefitted
6. Kwapreneur 2.0: 100 businesses benefitted.
The question Kwarans are asking is ‘What is the magic?
Where is the government getting the money from? Considering that they are paying salaries, fixing schools, Roads Healthcare and other infrastructure.
The answer is; prudent management of the limited resources available to the State. This is different from the years of profligacy and looting which characterized the regime of the PDP.
We like to affirm that the State Social Investment Programme is addressing poverty and empowering youths and women and conforms not only to the best practices of famous International institutions such as the World Bank but similar to the social safety net programmes of the Federal
Government Perhaps the PDP should educate themselves or recall similar social security programs in western democracies like the USA and the UK.
Shamelessly, the Peoples Democratic Party, out of frustration and sheer mischief, chose not to remember these in its desperation to return to power to continue its brigandage.
Our exemplary and exceptional Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has a special interest in providing succour for women because their activities stimulate and nurture the economy and need we to remind PDP that women constitute the most vulnerable out of their 16 years of misgovernance and reign of impunity?
Governor AbdulRahaman is concerned that Kwara women for many years have been humiliated and dehumanized by the Saraki dynasty which made them queue to receive handouts at Ile L’oke.
He is an advocate of gender inclusiveness per excellence. He has demonstrated this not only in words but in action.
The Social Investment Programme is another demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to women’s inclusion.
It is worthy to recall the Governor’s commitment to women’s inclusion since he assumed office in 2019. He has set a record of the largest number of female appointees into the executive cabinet of the state government with acknowledgement and commendation from all parts of the World.
In addition, key portfolios such as the State Internal Revenue Service,office of
Sustainable Development Goals and office on Diaspora Matters are women.
Besides the Social Investment Programme, Razaq’s administration sealed these with the introduction of a law that commits the State to gender inclusion that is the Gender Composition Law 2021 and fair treatment of women through the recent domestication of the Violence Against Person Law.
Kwara women know the leader who has their genuine interest at heart and certainly not in the corrupt PDP which looted our common patrimony.
They are aware of the PDP’s illusion to return to power to destroy the future of their children and return Kwara to the dark days of their ignoble era.
Kwarans know that PDP is a Pestilence, May it never happen to the State again.
Signed:
Alhaji Bashir Adigun
Special Adviser Communications to the Kwara State Governor
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