Kwara Assembly Promises to Enhance Job Opportunity through 2017 Budget

The Kwara State House of Assembly has said that it will tailor the 2017 budget towards ensuring the realisation of Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed’s vision of creating more employment opportunities, increased Internally Generated Revenue and sustainable economic development of the state.

Speaker of the House, Dr. Ali Ahmad gave the assurance in Ilorin during the ongoing debate on the general principles of the 2017 Appropriation Bill before the legislature.

Hon. Dr. Ali Ahmad, Speaker Kwara State House of Assembly.

Dr Ahmad who insisted that the budget should based on something reality, assured that it would be passed by the legislature in line with specific goals and vision of the state governor.

But the speaker expressed reservation over poor allocation to the agricultural sector and process of tapping the potentials of Owu fall this year, stressing that agriculture and tourism had been discovered to be veritable means of creating massive employment and alternative sources of diversifying the economy and funding of governance.

In his submission, the Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon Mashood Bakare noted that the 2016 budget performed well, commending Governor Ahmedfor his ingenuity in establishing the State Internal Revenue Service whose performance was 88.3% as at October 2016.

He stated that the state would be spending over N70.986bn on capital projects representing 52% of the total budget to fast track socio- economic transformation of the State.

Also speaking on the Budget, the Chairman House Committee on Energy, Works and Transport Hon. Hon. Mathew Babaoye disclosed that a sum of N6.5bn is earmarked for capital projects under the Ministry of Works this year.

He said the road leading to Owu Fall is captured in the budget to ensure proper harnessing of the tourism potentials of Owu Fall through Public Private Partnership.

In his debate, a member representing Ilesha / Gwanara Constituency Hon.Mohammed Umar Gunu said allocation to provision of Water in the budget was insufficient to cater for the water need of the people of the State.

He urged the State Government to make the construction of Ilesha Baruba campus of the State University a priority in the budget, in view of its strategic importance to socio- economic emancipation of the State.