The French Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Emmanuelle Blatmann, has described the architectural design of Ilorin Visual Arts Centre in Kwara State as breathtaking.
Blatmann stated this during an inspection tour to the sites of some ongoing projects of the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
She noted that the French Government will deepen its partnership with the state government on cultural collaboration when the Visual Arts Centre is completed.
“I would love to visit the state again when the project is completed. Also, I am happy to note our interest in partnering with the state government to have three lecture rooms for French class in the Visual Arts Centre to promote teaching and learning of French language.
“All these ongoing projects are good investments for the state’s development and they clearly show that the state is in safe hands,” she added.
The project sites visited included Ilorin Visual Arts Centre, Innovation Hub and Flower Garden Recreational Centre, all in Ilorin, the state capital.
The French Ambassador was conducted round the project sites by the State’s Commissioner for Communications, Hon. Abubakar Buhari, who described the State as a land filled with potentials both in natural and human resources.
“What you have seen so far are just tip of the iceberg as this administration has more in the offing to do to transform the state from an eyesore to a cynosure among the comity of states in the country.
“The Innovation Hub and Visual Arts Centre will provide employment opportunities for our teeming youths, thereby keeping them engaged and away from social vices.
“The Flower Garden is a recreational facility and when completed will be available to all Kwarans thereby improving the quality of life in the state. Until this administration began the resuscitation and redevelopment of this facility, it was left to rot by the past administration,” Buhari added.
Buhari also led the Ambassador and her team to some indigenous industries in the state. The places visited included the Seemajo Shea butter industry, Shao; Okelele local weaving industry and Dada Pottery,malso in Okelele.
The Commissioner attributed the flourishing of these industries to “the enabling environment resulting from the economy numerous policies of the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration. He instituted easy-of-doing business in the state and complemented it with different kinds of grants to businesses in the state.
“Recently, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq approved and gave out N200m grants to artisans in the state.”
The team had a stopover at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alh. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, who appreciated the envoy for the visit to Kwara State.
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