Governor of Kwara State, North Central Nigeria, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has inaugurated a 16-member cabinet and four Special Advisers.
This is coming seven months after he assumed office on May 29 a situation many have described as requiring meticulous and adequate planning to enable the governor separate accountability under his administration from activities of the immediate past government.
At the inauguration, held on Friday, Governor AbdulRazaq charged the new cabinet members, keenly selected, to imbibe hard work and transparency, warning that his administration has “a historical duty to change the narrative about the state.”
Speaking at the inauguration held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Ilorin, AbdulRazaq charged the officials to work towards what they want to be remembered for after their service.
The governor said, “Let me remind all of you that we are not the best out of the 3.5 million people in this state. However, providence has placed on our shoulders the historic responsibility to take our people out of Egypt and safely into the Canaan land.
“This task requires focus, patience, sacrifice, tact, speed, and constant supplication to God almighty to guide us every step of the way.
“We must engage, listen, and relate well with our people whose mandate has brought us here.
“In doing so, we must see the whole of Kwara as our constituency.”
The governor, meanwhile, has assigned portfolios to the commissioners and the Special Advisers.
Aisha Ahman-Pategi was assigned Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Jawondo Suleiman (Justice); Arinola Lawal (Water Resources); Murtala Olanrewaju (Communications); Aliyu Mohammed, (Environment and Forestry); Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu (Tertiary Education); Aliyu Sabi Kora (Energy); Ahmed Bisola (Education); Agbaje Wahab (Enterprises); Rotimi Iliasu (Works and Transports); Aremu Deborah (Social Development); Joana Kolo (Youths and Sport); Adenike Oshatimehin (Agriculture and Rural Development), Dr Raji Razak (Health); Oyeyemi Olasunbo,(Planning and Finance ); Oyedun Funke (Special Duties).
The governor also swore in members of the Civil Service Commission and the Deputy Chief of Staff Adebukola Risikat Babalola whose appointment was announced earlier Friday. He had earlier also named Architect Kale Belgore as Senior Adviser and Counsellor.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, the governor also designated Saadu Salahudeen as Special Adviser Political; Mr Yinka Aluko as Special Adviser on Special Duties; Attahiru Ibrahim as Special Adviser Youths and Sports and Professor Wale Sulaiman as Special Adviser on Health.
The event was attended by hundreds of Kwarans and top government functionaries, including the Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; Speaker of the House of Assembly Salihu Danladi Yakubu; Representative of the Chief Judge Justice Bayo Yusuf; Grand Kadi of Kwara State Ola Abdulkadir; principal officers and members of the House of Assembly; Secretary to the State Government Prof Mamman Jibril; Head of Service Modupe Oluwole; and Chief of Staff to the Governor Aminu Adisa Logun.
