Ifelodun Local Government Area
Ganmo is in Ifelodun local government and the Chairman of the local is Mrs. Alabi Nimota Mojisola . the Local Government Area was created in 1976 out of the defunct Igbomina Ekiti Local Government Area. The Local Government Headquarters is Share and has 18 wards.
Districts: Igbaja, Oke-Ode, Agunjin, Ile-Ire, Ora, Oro-Ago, Omupo, Share and Idofian.
Road Distance: From Ilorin to Share (LGA headquarters) 64 Kilometers.
Population: 155, 551 - (77,331 males, 78,220 females) 1991 census.
Major Towns: Igbaja, Share, Oke-Ode, Omupo, Idofihan, Ganmo, Oro-Ago, Babanloma, Alabe, Owode-Ofaro, Elerinjare, Idera.
Important Markets: Share, Oro-Ago, Oke-Ode, Ganmo, Igbaja and Idofihan.
Major Languages: Yoruba, Fulani.
Natural Resources: Maize, Millet, Guinea Corn, Sorghumand Palm-Oil.
Mineral Resources: Granite, Lime Stone, Marble, Dolomite, Quarts and Kaolin.
Major Festivals: Egungun, Epa, Sango, Alagbe dances.
Tourist Attractions: Owu Falls (Owa Kajola), Oke Agbonna Hills (Share).
Hotels and Restaurants: Sakama Guest House, Skara Guest Inn, Olaiya Guest House in Share.
COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONS 1. Community Bank, Share 2. Peoples Bank, Share 3. NACB, Ganmo 4. Ore-Ofe Community Bank, Ganmo 5. UBA Plc, Oke-Ode 6. Societe Generale Bank, Igbaja. CULLED FROM KW SITE
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
THE CLASSIFCATION OF THE 16 LOCAL GAVERMENT
Before the controversial local government creation exercise, Kwara State use to have 16 LGAS, divided into three senatorial districts. In Kwara central, there are four Local councils. They are Asa, Ilorin East, Ilorin South and Ilorin West. These four local government areas cast 176, 931 votes in the last governor ship race. Its incumbent senator is Dr. Isiak Salmon. The Kwara North district which is represented by Senator Baba Zuruq has Baruten, Edu, Kaiama, Moro and Patigi LGAs ( 5 in all) and their total number of votes in the last guber election is the least of the three districts, 125, 671. The southern senatorial district has the biggest number of LGAs, seven. They are Ifelodun, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin, Offa, Oke Ero and Oyun. Their votes in the last governorship poll was 217, 034. The incumbent Senator from the area is Alhaji Suleiman Ajadi.The unique thing about the three senatorial district is that while the central zone consist mainly Ilorin people, the two other districts consist of people of diverse origin. For example in the. northern zone, Moro is more or less an Ilorin council, while the others four council have Baruba and Tapa people.In the South, the people are mainly Yoruba people. Yet there is still the Igbomina Oyun dichotomy.
Friday, December 11, 2009
GANMO NOW THE HEART OF KWARA STATE
How effective is the investment drive of the Kwara State Government, would you say you have made any significant breakthrough in this direction?
Our investment drive has been very effective. Before any investor will want to invest in a state, he will want to know how secure such an environment is. Kwara State has an advantage over others if you talk of security; therefore, because of the peace and the security we enjoy in the state, investors are coming to Kwara.
What are you offering prospectus investors?
It is also easy to acquire land for business purpose in Kwara as the state has industrial zone. This is another reason why industries and other businesses are springing up. There are a couple of companies that are ready to invest in the Agro-allied industries because of commercial agriculture initiative of the government.
How about the power supply challenge?
We now enjoy better power supply in most part of the state. President Umaru Yar’Adua commended Governor Saraki when he came recently to commission the 330/132/33KV Sub-Station in Ganmo, Ifelodun Local Government of the state.
The President said it clearly that the power sub-station in Ganmo and the Cargo Terminal at Ilorin International Airport are catalysts for economic development. Business booms as there is better power supply in the state. Industrialists, hoteliers, barbers, welders and other categories of entrepreneurs now spend less on diesel because of stable power supply.
In June, Governor Saraki was in the Royal Kingdom of The Netherlands to attend the 2009 Business and Investment Forum for Governors. Some Dutch companies have shown interest to do business with our state after the Business Forum.
We have companies which have shown interest in cement manufacturing and Agro-allied industries. Again, if you take a critical look at the Bukola Saraki-led administration ,you will discover that there is prudence and accountability in the management of the meager resources coming to the state from the federation account. It is also clear to everyone in government and outside that the Saraki-led administration has zero tolerance for corruption. This is responsible for the Fitch rating (AA– and BB+) we have had for two years running.
Naturally, investors will prefer a state in good standing, a place where things are working and where the government and people are friendly. All these we enjoy in Kwara State and that is why we have many existing big, medium and small scale industries.
Your state has constructed a cargo terminal at Ilorin International Airport. What effects will this have in the industrial development in the state and how desirable is the project considering the level of development of Kwara State?
The cargo terminal project is very desirable and constructed in the interest of the people of the state and Nigerians as a whole. The project was conceived by Governor Bukola Saraki out of his genuine intention to reposition the economy of Kwara State.
There is an on-going agricultural revolution in Kwara State which has placed the state on the world map. Part of our strategy is to use the cargo terminal as the base for exportation of agricultural produce to other parts of the world. The cargo terminal is also to serve as the hub for importation and exportation of other goods by the growing number of companies in the state, the North-Central, and Nigeria in general.
It is not the first project to be executed by the Kwara State government at Ilorin International Airport. We had earlier constructed an ultra-modern terminal building because there was no good terminal building at the airport prior to Governor Saraki’s assumption of office in 2003. What we had at the airport was a warehouse being used as terminal building for years.
Because of the strategic importance of the airport to Kwara and the North-Central geo-political zone, our governor constructed a terminal building there and ensured the commencement of commercial flights. Now, he has gone further to add a cargo terminal in order to stimulate the economy of the state.
Just as President Yar’Adua said when he paid a working visit to Kwara, the cargo terminal is a catalyst for economic development and a project that will further open Kwara to the rest of the world.
Can we say the location of the cargo terminal was influenced by geo-political factor of the state?
You might not consider it as an advantage, but I want to tell you that the geographical location of Kwara as the gateway to the North and South is a blessing to us. Governor Saraki realised this early enough and he has been using the advantage of our geographical location to transform the state.
The point I am trying to make is that Ilorin International Airport is an alternate airport to the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos. If a plane cannot land in Lagos for any reason such an aircraft can land at the Ilorin International Airport which has one of the best runways in Nigeria.
Again, the Kwara State government realised that Murtala Mohammed Airport is congested, therefore, importers and exporters would want a less congested airport to do business. So, what we have done in Kwara is to provide alternative for them. This we have achieved through the construction of a cargo terminal at Ilorin International Airport.
The importance of the project on the economic development of our dear state cannot be overemphasized. For instance, it will increase economic activities in the state. Importers and exporters will have their offices here in Ilorin. They will construct or rent warehouses in the state capital, they will look for accommodation in the city while the hospitality industry will also witness boom. I mean the hotels will also feel the impact because of people coming to clear, buy or sell goods from different parts of the world. These and others will definitely be the multiplier effects of the cargo terminal. You can now see the reason why we embarked on the project
Apart from this, the Kwara State government is also in the process of building a truck stop with all the facilities you can think of. In Kwara, we have a governor who is visionary, who also does his homework well before embarking on any project.
We have done our research and discovered that about 4,000 trucks carry goods and other items to the northern and southern parts of the country daily through Eyenkorin, Ilorin.
We have also discovered that most of them don’t make their journey in a day so, the truck stop we are in the process of constructing will be useful to these trucks that go to the North and South through Kwara. The drivers can wait and sleep inside the truck stop instead of just parking on highways.
Besides, some of these trucks will also be getting businesses from the cargo terminal. People will want to move their goods from the airport to other parts of the country. So, there is a link between the cargo terminal project and the truck stop to be constructed by the state government. From the analysis I have given, you will agree with me that the cargo terminal project will help stimulate the economy of the state.
Has there been any significant investment in other sectors since the present administration came on board?
There has been significant investment in the education sector because the present administration believes there cannot be economic and political development without sound education. What we met on ground in 2003 was not palatable. We inherited a disorganised and faulty system. A study was carried out to correct the anomalies. This gave birth to Kwara Education centre which guides what we do in reinvigorating the education sector.
It is our belief that when the foundation is solid, the building will also be solid. Our "Every Child Counts" policy bears testimony to this. We have put in place a system where every child is entitled to quality education at the early stage and then progress to a level in life where he can be useful to himself and the society.
A lot of transformation has taken place in the education sector. We have had training and retraining of teachers in order to sharpen their skills because you cannot give what you don’t have. Gone are the days when teachers in the rural areas don’t attend classes to teach their pupils. Gone are the days when the pupils and students roam the streets during the school hours. The point I am trying to make is that apart from the discipline that has taken a firm root in our schools, our teachers have also been constantly trained to meet the current challenges of education.
Apart from the Book-Revolving Scheme many schools have been comprehensively renovated and laboratory equipments and other teaching aids provided for them. We have bias for science education in the interest of the future for our children. The Kwara State government has also constructed hundreds of new classrooms for both primary and secondary schools in the state. We also don’t joke with the welfare of the teachers while the Ministry of Education Science and Technology constantly monitors what is going on in schools to ensure quality.
Let me explain something again, we are reviewing our curriculum in primary schools with emphasis on core subjects like Maths and English and also Yoruba because when a child is good in his mother tongue he will be good in English with the right training. The emphasis will be on core subjects. Spelling, reading and composition will now be subjects in our primary schools. Like I said, the emphasis will be on literacy and numeric .
How are you checking examination malpractice?
The present administration in the state has also done much to check the problem of examination malpractices which was rampant before we came on board. Any teacher or principal involved in examination malpractice will definitely blame himself. Because teachers in the state have come to realise that the state government has zero tolerance for examination malpractices, most of them have sit up.
As regard higher institutions, we have also installed discipline on the campuses. Kwara State was the first state to make anti-cultism law. We have also been implementing the law. With this, our campuses are now cult free.
This is one of the secrets why higher institutions in Kwara have stable academic calendars. We no more have cases where institutions are closed down on the account of cultism. The newly established Kwara State University which is the brain child of Governor Saraki is to take education to the next level. It is our hope that graduates of the university will be able to feed our growing industries and be able to stand on their own after the completion of their courses. It is also our hope that they will be able to compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world. Our mission is to turnout graduates who will be able to use their brain for the economic development of Kwara and Nigeria in general without looking for white-collar jobs.
Our investment drive has been very effective. Before any investor will want to invest in a state, he will want to know how secure such an environment is. Kwara State has an advantage over others if you talk of security; therefore, because of the peace and the security we enjoy in the state, investors are coming to Kwara.
What are you offering prospectus investors?
It is also easy to acquire land for business purpose in Kwara as the state has industrial zone. This is another reason why industries and other businesses are springing up. There are a couple of companies that are ready to invest in the Agro-allied industries because of commercial agriculture initiative of the government.
How about the power supply challenge?
We now enjoy better power supply in most part of the state. President Umaru Yar’Adua commended Governor Saraki when he came recently to commission the 330/132/33KV Sub-Station in Ganmo, Ifelodun Local Government of the state.
The President said it clearly that the power sub-station in Ganmo and the Cargo Terminal at Ilorin International Airport are catalysts for economic development. Business booms as there is better power supply in the state. Industrialists, hoteliers, barbers, welders and other categories of entrepreneurs now spend less on diesel because of stable power supply.
In June, Governor Saraki was in the Royal Kingdom of The Netherlands to attend the 2009 Business and Investment Forum for Governors. Some Dutch companies have shown interest to do business with our state after the Business Forum.
We have companies which have shown interest in cement manufacturing and Agro-allied industries. Again, if you take a critical look at the Bukola Saraki-led administration ,you will discover that there is prudence and accountability in the management of the meager resources coming to the state from the federation account. It is also clear to everyone in government and outside that the Saraki-led administration has zero tolerance for corruption. This is responsible for the Fitch rating (AA– and BB+) we have had for two years running.
Naturally, investors will prefer a state in good standing, a place where things are working and where the government and people are friendly. All these we enjoy in Kwara State and that is why we have many existing big, medium and small scale industries.
Your state has constructed a cargo terminal at Ilorin International Airport. What effects will this have in the industrial development in the state and how desirable is the project considering the level of development of Kwara State?
The cargo terminal project is very desirable and constructed in the interest of the people of the state and Nigerians as a whole. The project was conceived by Governor Bukola Saraki out of his genuine intention to reposition the economy of Kwara State.
There is an on-going agricultural revolution in Kwara State which has placed the state on the world map. Part of our strategy is to use the cargo terminal as the base for exportation of agricultural produce to other parts of the world. The cargo terminal is also to serve as the hub for importation and exportation of other goods by the growing number of companies in the state, the North-Central, and Nigeria in general.
It is not the first project to be executed by the Kwara State government at Ilorin International Airport. We had earlier constructed an ultra-modern terminal building because there was no good terminal building at the airport prior to Governor Saraki’s assumption of office in 2003. What we had at the airport was a warehouse being used as terminal building for years.
Because of the strategic importance of the airport to Kwara and the North-Central geo-political zone, our governor constructed a terminal building there and ensured the commencement of commercial flights. Now, he has gone further to add a cargo terminal in order to stimulate the economy of the state.
Just as President Yar’Adua said when he paid a working visit to Kwara, the cargo terminal is a catalyst for economic development and a project that will further open Kwara to the rest of the world.
Can we say the location of the cargo terminal was influenced by geo-political factor of the state?
You might not consider it as an advantage, but I want to tell you that the geographical location of Kwara as the gateway to the North and South is a blessing to us. Governor Saraki realised this early enough and he has been using the advantage of our geographical location to transform the state.
The point I am trying to make is that Ilorin International Airport is an alternate airport to the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos. If a plane cannot land in Lagos for any reason such an aircraft can land at the Ilorin International Airport which has one of the best runways in Nigeria.
Again, the Kwara State government realised that Murtala Mohammed Airport is congested, therefore, importers and exporters would want a less congested airport to do business. So, what we have done in Kwara is to provide alternative for them. This we have achieved through the construction of a cargo terminal at Ilorin International Airport.
The importance of the project on the economic development of our dear state cannot be overemphasized. For instance, it will increase economic activities in the state. Importers and exporters will have their offices here in Ilorin. They will construct or rent warehouses in the state capital, they will look for accommodation in the city while the hospitality industry will also witness boom. I mean the hotels will also feel the impact because of people coming to clear, buy or sell goods from different parts of the world. These and others will definitely be the multiplier effects of the cargo terminal. You can now see the reason why we embarked on the project
Apart from this, the Kwara State government is also in the process of building a truck stop with all the facilities you can think of. In Kwara, we have a governor who is visionary, who also does his homework well before embarking on any project.
We have done our research and discovered that about 4,000 trucks carry goods and other items to the northern and southern parts of the country daily through Eyenkorin, Ilorin.
We have also discovered that most of them don’t make their journey in a day so, the truck stop we are in the process of constructing will be useful to these trucks that go to the North and South through Kwara. The drivers can wait and sleep inside the truck stop instead of just parking on highways.
Besides, some of these trucks will also be getting businesses from the cargo terminal. People will want to move their goods from the airport to other parts of the country. So, there is a link between the cargo terminal project and the truck stop to be constructed by the state government. From the analysis I have given, you will agree with me that the cargo terminal project will help stimulate the economy of the state.
Has there been any significant investment in other sectors since the present administration came on board?
There has been significant investment in the education sector because the present administration believes there cannot be economic and political development without sound education. What we met on ground in 2003 was not palatable. We inherited a disorganised and faulty system. A study was carried out to correct the anomalies. This gave birth to Kwara Education centre which guides what we do in reinvigorating the education sector.
It is our belief that when the foundation is solid, the building will also be solid. Our "Every Child Counts" policy bears testimony to this. We have put in place a system where every child is entitled to quality education at the early stage and then progress to a level in life where he can be useful to himself and the society.
A lot of transformation has taken place in the education sector. We have had training and retraining of teachers in order to sharpen their skills because you cannot give what you don’t have. Gone are the days when teachers in the rural areas don’t attend classes to teach their pupils. Gone are the days when the pupils and students roam the streets during the school hours. The point I am trying to make is that apart from the discipline that has taken a firm root in our schools, our teachers have also been constantly trained to meet the current challenges of education.
Apart from the Book-Revolving Scheme many schools have been comprehensively renovated and laboratory equipments and other teaching aids provided for them. We have bias for science education in the interest of the future for our children. The Kwara State government has also constructed hundreds of new classrooms for both primary and secondary schools in the state. We also don’t joke with the welfare of the teachers while the Ministry of Education Science and Technology constantly monitors what is going on in schools to ensure quality.
Let me explain something again, we are reviewing our curriculum in primary schools with emphasis on core subjects like Maths and English and also Yoruba because when a child is good in his mother tongue he will be good in English with the right training. The emphasis will be on core subjects. Spelling, reading and composition will now be subjects in our primary schools. Like I said, the emphasis will be on literacy and numeric .
How are you checking examination malpractice?
The present administration in the state has also done much to check the problem of examination malpractices which was rampant before we came on board. Any teacher or principal involved in examination malpractice will definitely blame himself. Because teachers in the state have come to realise that the state government has zero tolerance for examination malpractices, most of them have sit up.
As regard higher institutions, we have also installed discipline on the campuses. Kwara State was the first state to make anti-cultism law. We have also been implementing the law. With this, our campuses are now cult free.
This is one of the secrets why higher institutions in Kwara have stable academic calendars. We no more have cases where institutions are closed down on the account of cultism. The newly established Kwara State University which is the brain child of Governor Saraki is to take education to the next level. It is our hope that graduates of the university will be able to feed our growing industries and be able to stand on their own after the completion of their courses. It is also our hope that they will be able to compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world. Our mission is to turnout graduates who will be able to use their brain for the economic development of Kwara and Nigeria in general without looking for white-collar jobs.
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