The Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq yesterday commissioned four projects to mark the 5th anniversary of his administration.
The governor also launched the new Ilorin masterplan/ smartcity and CNG plant, and as well flagged off the distribution of instructional materials at the office of the State Primary Education Board ( SUBEB).
The roads inaugurated by the governor included the 4.779KM Yebumot-Adeta Roundabout and Adeta- Oloje roads.
AbdulRazaq also commissioned the Flower Garden Recreation Centre in the G.R.A, Ilorin
At the official launch of the Ilorin Masterplan and Ilorin Smart City, the governor said: “Today, we are adding another cornerstone to the foundation laid over 48 years ago by the founding fathers of Kwara State, who designed the first master plan for Ilorin. But this is not so much about etching a foundation for the sake of it. This is about making our capital city habitable, compliant with the rules that govern urban planning in the age of climate crisis, and bequeathing a legacy for those coming after us.
“As at this morning, the United Nations World Population Prospects put Ilorin as the third most populous metro area in the entire northern Nigeria, preceded only by Kaduna and Kano in the ascending order.
Ilorin, according to this data, has had a population growth rate of between 2.53% in 2020 and 3.3% in 2024.
“These are not mere statistics. They have dire consequences for how we live and survive. Population growth has far-reaching social consequences in the area of infrastructural risk, health risk, and security risks, among others. We are damned if we do not plan for it.
“As leaders, we have a duty to address the challenges of now and plan for the realities of tomorrow. This is the reason for the Ilorin City Master Plan, which has, in turn, given birth to the Ilorin Smart City, both of which we are officially launching today.
“While the Ilorin City Master Plan has been designed to guide how we live sustainably for the next 40 years, the Smart City is our innovative response to the multidimensional challenges of urban living that now confront Ilorin, including congestion and the associated pressures it brings on the existing infrastructure.
“Designed to host 540,000 residents, the Smart City is a nine residential district city that is built in compliance with the United Nations prescriptions for urban living. Comprising a business district, an enterprise zone, industrial park, and three commercial districts, among others, the city spans 20,000 hectares and features 15% green space provisioning and 50 square metres of green space per individual.
“The first phase of this ambitious project covers 11,000 hectares with an estimated N1.72tr funding requirements from public private investments between now (2024) and 2027. I urge everyone to pick a
copy of the development plan for a better understanding of its components. To achieve this vision, sacrifices will be made, but they are worth it.
“My team and I are proud to have laid this solid foundation for a future of sustainable living for the people of Kwara State.”