Kwara PDP Candidate Kawu Pledges ₦100bn Security Fund

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State, Sulaiman Bolakale Kawu, has pledged to establish a ₦100bn security trust fund and introduce a 13th-month salary for civil servants if elected governor in the 2027 governorship election.

Kawu made the pledges in Ilorin during the public presentation of his manifesto, tagged The SBK Compact – Kwara People First, which outlines his proposed policies on security, infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and economic development.

The former top civil servant also promised to create 200,000 youth employment opportunities and 5,000 enterprise opportunities annually, alongside a ₦19.2bn agricultural production fund to provide affordable financing and inputs to farmers and cooperatives.

He said the proposed ₦100bn security trust fund would finance intelligence-led operations, strengthen community partnerships, equip security agencies and improve coordination among security formations to address insecurity across the state.

Kawu said his decision to prioritise security was informed by his visit to Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area, where he witnessed the aftermath of attacks and the suffering of residents.

“One of the most painful experiences in my entire life was my visit to Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of our state. I stood before the destruction. I saw blood on the ground. I witnessed firsthand the pain and fear of a traumatised community,” he said.

He added that the experience reinforced his determination to ensure that residents could live and conduct their businesses without fear of attacks, kidnapping and other criminal activities.

“As Governor, I will not rest or sleep when the life of any Kwaran is under threat,” the PDP candidate said.

On workers’ welfare, Kawu promised to introduce a 13th-month salary for all civil servants in the state, assuring that salaries and other entitlements would be paid promptly.

“As a retired public servant myself, I understand the sacrifices, expectations and challenges of workers. I will ensure the prompt and timely payment of salaries and other entitlements. Workers must not have to struggle or beg for what they have lawfully earned,” he said.

The former civil servant also proposed a ₦9.6bn revolving loan scheme for market traders and another ₦9.6bn single-digit interest loan scheme for micro, small and medium-scale enterprises.

He said his administration would establish a ₦3bn Women Enterprises and Empowerment Fund to provide affordable financing and business support to women-owned businesses, while at least 1,000 artisans would receive support grants annually.

On grassroots development, Kawu promised to allocate ₦50m to each of the 193 wards in the state within the first 100 days of his administration, amounting to an initial commitment of ₦9.65bn.

He said communities would determine their priority projects under the initiative, while mechanisms would be introduced to ensure transparency, technical supervision and accountability in their execution.

The governorship candidate also proposed a ₦40bn One Kwara Regional Development Agency to drive infrastructure and community development, alongside a minimum of ₦5bn in counterpart funding for donor-supported projects over four years.

He said his administration would prioritise the construction and rehabilitation of roads linking communities to markets, schools, hospitals and economic centres, while expanding rural electrification, renewable energy and access to clean water.

On education, Kawu promised to commit ₦4bn to a special monthly hardship allowance for teachers serving in underserved, rural and hard-to-reach communities.

He also pledged to rehabilitate dilapidated schools, provide teaching materials, improve teachers’ welfare and expand technical and vocational education, digital learning and scholarship opportunities for disadvantaged students.

In the health sector, the PDP candidate promised to strengthen primary healthcare facilities across the 16 local government areas, improve access to essential medicines and introduce special allowances for qualified health workers serving in underserved communities.

He also promised to establish an annual framework for youth employment and enterprise development, saying his administration would create 200,000 new youth employment opportunities and 5,000 enterprise opportunities yearly through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship support and private-sector partnerships.

On agriculture, Kawu said the proposed ₦19.2bn production fund would provide farmers with affordable and timely financing, improved inputs and other forms of support to boost agricultural productivity.

He further promised to address pension and gratuity obligations through a transparent repayment framework, with an estimated ₦4bn increase in payments over four years.

The candidate also pledged to review upwards the salaries, allowances and other entitlements of traditional rulers, whom he described as important partners in maintaining social cohesion and promoting grassroots development.

Explaining how he intended to finance and implement the proposals, Kawu said his administration would prioritise responsible planning and budgeting, efficient resource mobilisation, effective government systems, transparency and citizen participation.

He said his experience in public service, particularly at the Rural Electrification Agency, had equipped him with the knowledge of project conception, design, implementation, monitoring and maintenance required to deliver the proposed programmes.

Kawu also criticised what he described as the absence of proper planning in governance, saying he would not assume office without a clear programme of action.