Ahmed Muhammad Ketso

Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso is an accomplished politician and an administrator par Excellence, a profound contributor to the changing socio-political development in Niger State and indeed, a monumental mentor to the younger generations in the political arena of his State in particular and Nigeria in general.

Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, a man of many parts and enduring relevance has carved a niche for himself not only in politics but also in the field of Accountancy with special passion for Business and Taxation. His outstanding coverage and past antecedents in the political struggle towards emancipation of Nigerlites is not misplaced, as he is currently the Deputy Governor of Niger State, following his nomination by his political Boss, confidant and brother, the Executive Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello otherwise known as Abulolo in the change mantra of Niger State politics.

Ahmed Mohammed Ketso was born on July 27, 1969 at Ketso Village in Mokwa LGA of Niger State. He had his Elementary Education at Ketso Primary School between 1976 and 1981. He was admitted to Government Technical College, Eyagi-Bida where he obtained his Secondary Education and bagged his West African School Certificate in 1986. For more academic attainments, Alhaji Ketso proceeded to the Federal Polytechnic Bida for his tertiary education in Financial Studies.

It may interest you to know that even as a Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ketso continued in the pursuit of an undergraduate course in Security and Criminology at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) University, Lapai, Niger State which he successfully completed in 2016.

Ketso began his enviable working career as Business Executive and subsequently a Director at Muhai Industrial Company and Muhai Brothers Investments respectively, from 1993 to 2000. Ketso’s grass-root political career which cut across different political parties started in 1993 when he became a Councillorship candidate at Ja’agi Ward in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State under the platform of Social Democratic Party (SDP). In 2007 General Elections, Ketso contested for a seat into the Niger State House of Assembly under the platform of All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) with a mission to becoming a member to represent Mokwa Constituency, but lost gallantly. He remained committed to the gospel of the then ANPP and later in 2010, became the State Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Party (ANPP).

In 2011, the unrelenting Ketso served as the Zonal Coordinator for David Umaru Governorship Campaign Organization, a period which brought to light his high degree of honesty, accountability and loyalty, while serving as the State Campaign Coordinator for the Ogbonaya Onu’s candidature for National Chairman of ANPP, he contested for a seat into the Federal House of Representative, but could not see the light of the day.

As a State PRO for ANPP, Ketso’s resourcefulness and experience in politics was noticed and recognized in his Party’s merger bid with other Progressive Parties which metamorphosed into All Progressive Congress (APC).

During the same period, (2011 to be specific), Ketso served as the Interim Zonal Vice Chairman, Zone ‘A’ that resulted in the merger of ANPP, CPC (Congress for Progressive Change) and ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) that became All Progressive Party (APC) today.

Ahmed Ketso is indeed a thorough-bred astute politician with so much input to the merger of political Parties witnessed in the contemporary Nigerian Politics, as he participated in several Committees which culminated into his appointment as Zonal Coordinator for Abubakar Sani Bello Governorship Campaign Organization and his eventual nomination as Deputy Governorship Candidate to Abubakar Sani Bello as the then Gubernatorial candidate.

As the 2015 Elections rolled by, Ketso became the Deputy Governor to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and Ketso continued to endear himself to his Boss through diligence, hard work, and loyalty. Resultantly, Ketso was made: • Chairman, Niger State Task Force on Polio Eradication - 2015 to date. • Niger State Amirul – Hajj, 2015 Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia -2015. • Chairman, Committee on the Rationalization of Ministries in Niger State-2015. • Chairman, Niger State Boundary Committee (NSBC) -2015 to date. • Chairman, Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) -2015 to date. • Chairman, Committee on Dangote Agricultural Investments in Niger State -2016 to date. • Chairman, Public Private Partnerships (PPP) - 2015 to date • Chairman, Committee on Niger State Staff Verification and Pay-Roll Re-Engineering/Validation Exercise -2016. • Chairman, Committee to Interface with Stakeholders on Actualization of Baro Inland Port -2016 to date. • Chairman, Committee on Constant and Quality Electricity Supply in Niger State-2017. • Leader of Niger State Delegation to International Summit on Agriculture, USA – 2017. • Chairman, Committee on BUA Agricultural Investment in Niger State -2017. • Chairman, Committee on Touring of all the 25 LGAs in Niger State – 2017. • Chairman, Committee on Harmonization of Issues on the Contributory Pension Scheme – 2017. • Leader of Niger State Delegation on Study Tour to South Korea on UN Habitat Smart City Projects -2018. • Leader of Delegation to South Africa on Modern Agricultural Development – 2018. • Chairman, Committee on Presidential visit to Niger State -2018. • Chairman, Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency Board (NSPHCDA) -2018. • Chairman, Committee to Determine the Actual Staff Wage Bill and the Cost Implication of Employment of 2000 Graduates -2018. • Chairman, Party (APC) Delegates Conference -2018 • Chairman, Committee on the Resumption of Contributory Pension Scheme -2019. • Chairman, Steering Committee, Nigeria for Women Project - 2019 • Chairman, Committee against Substance Abuse and Related Crimes -2020 • Chairman, Committee on Harmonization of Labour Relations and Salary Payments - 2020 • Chairman, Committee on Niger @ 45 - 2020 • Chairman, Committee on Harmonization of State/Local Government Revenue -2020 • Chairman, Projects Commissioning Committee -2020 • Chairman, Committee on the Abolishment of Illegal Motor Parks-2021 • Chairman, Committee on the Ban of Commercial Motorcycles-2021 As a testimony for Ketso’s passion and love for Taxation and its associated management Institutions, he was made an honorary Member of the Nigerian Institute of Taxation in 2016.

Ahmed Mohammed Ketso takes Farming, Travelling and Learning as his hobbies and is happily married with children.