THE 2016 APPROPRIATION BILL, DELIVERED TO THE KWARA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, BY HIS EXCELLENCY, ALHAJI (DR) ABDULFATAH AHMED, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KWARA STATE ON TUESDAY, 22NDDECEMBER, 2015.

COURTESIES,

Mr. Speaker, distinguished Honorable members of Kwara State House of Assembly, In the name of God, the most Beneficent, the Merciful, I have the honor and privilege of presenting the 2016 Budget proposals to this Honorable House for consideration and passage.

Mr. Speaker, today’s budget presentation marks the continuation of this administration’s desire to consolidate and promote sustainable economic development of the state in line with the Shared Prosperity Agenda. As you are aware, we have pursued this agenda of inclusive prosperity with vigor since inception despite dwindling resources at the disposal of the state.  The 2016 Budget, therefore, is a symbolic bridge between past achievements, current accomplishments and future aspirations achieve for the good people of Kwara State.

Let me reassure Kwarans that, notwithstanding the dwindling inflow from federation account, we remain focused on delivery of good governance such as security, employment generation and infrastructural development in the state. We shall continue to improve the welfare of workers in the state while sustaining and expanding opportunities for private investment.

Meanwhile, we have reformed the revenue generating process by changing the people, process and technologies for the collection, management and distribution of internal revenue. Our objective is to sustain the economic growth and development of the state while insulating her from the turbulence of global crude oil prices.

This resolve culminated in the establishment of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service which this honorable house passed into law.

Mr. Speaker, distinguished Honorable members, before I proceed to present the Budget proposals for the 2016 fiscal year, permit me to outline a brief review of the implementation of 2015 Budget.

REVIEW OF 2015 BUDGET

Mr. Speaker, the 2015 budget, which was christened “Budget of Introspection and Job Creation” availed us the opportunity to leverage on our areas of strength in addressing some socio-economic initiatives to grow the state economy. In the 2015 fiscal year, our revenue expectations were not realized due to sustained and significant drop in federal allocation which alone constitutes about 80 percent of our recurrent revenue.

As you are aware, this drawback was the result of fall in the global crude oil prices which necessitated sustained decline in the level of revenue accruing from the federation account. The shortfall in the revenue restricted our capacity to implement people-oriented capital projects and our inability to meet some basic commitments during the year.

However, I wish to place on record our appreciation of Federal Government’s quick intervention through the provision of bailout funds to our state and several others. This timely intervention enabled us to meet recurrent obligations and resume stalled capital projects in the state.

Mr. Speaker, in spite of the financial challenge, however, we made some progress in the implementation of 2015 budget.

I will now highlight some of the achievements recorded in the execution of government programs in the out-going year.

1. WORKS AND TRANSPORT

This administration attaches importance to road development as a tool for economic growth and development of the state. To this end, special attention was paid to the completion of fifty on-going and newly awarded road projects with a total length of two hundred and seventy-eight kilometers across the state.

In addition, the state government also intervened on some federal roads to ease the economic activities of the state in the outgoing year. The roads include:- Patigi-Kpada-Rogun road, dualisation of Offa Garage-Dangote Road (south link road), Ilorin and Kaiama-Kishi road.

In the area of road maintenance, we have continued to strengthen Kwara Road Maintenance Agency (KWARMA) through prompt release of funds on monthly basis for road rehabilitation and maintenance. A sum of four hundred and fifty-eight million, forty-one thousand, one hundred and fifty-three naira was expended as of October this year on various road projects in the state.

2. WATER SUPPLY

In order to bridge the potable water accessibility and availability gap in the state, the state government is set to commence the rehabilitation of the water works at Ballah, Bakase, Gbugbu and Obbo-Ile, as contracts were awarded during the outgoing year. Similarly, contracts for the extension of water pipes from Pepele waterworks to Elesin-Meta Community have also been awarded. The projects are expected to be completed in six months.

In the early part of the outgoing fiscal year, the repair and restoration works on the washed-off water mains around Baba-Ode were completed. Under the special intervention program, fifteen hand pump boreholes were provided to some communities in Ekiti, Baruten and Kaiama Local Government Areas.

3. ENERGY

Our pivotal role in improving the standard of living of citizens through the implementation of power projects  remain  a priority despite the federal government’s privatization policy on power supply.

To this end, two rural communities were connected to the national grid while broken down power networks and vandalized sub-stations were restored in the outgoing fiscal year.

4. HEALTH:-

During the outgoing fiscal year, the state government continued to pursue the repositioning of the healthcare facilities in the state for more effective service delivery to our people, with a key focus on increasing access to quality and improved healthcare service delivery.

Attention was also focused on preventive and curative health at the primary healthcare level through the distribution of long lasting insecticide treated nets and free malaria drugs to pregnant mothers and under-5 children under the roll back malaria program.

Similarly, the State Government embarked on state-wide immunization exercise during the outgoing fiscal year where more than nine hundred thousand children were immunized against measles. In addition, the State Government, in conjunction with Development Africa, ESSO and NNPC commissioned a Maternity Referral Centre at Eruku, during which free medical and surgical services were rendered to our people in the area. A sum of six million, five hundred thousand naira was spent on the program.

Furthermore, free eye intervention program was conducted in conjunction with MTN Foundation and Eye Foundation Hospital at Sobi Specialist Hospital, where six thousand patients were treated for various medical and surgical occular challenges with a total sum of six million naira expended on the program.

In order to ensure more efficient and effective health service delivery in our state healthcare facilities, the State Government recruited more qualified health personnel of various cadres (Doctors, Nurses and Consultants etc) during the outgoing year.

5. AGRICULTURE

In the year 2015, the State Government intensified its effort towards sustaining and improving agricultural activities in line with the Shared Prosperity program.

In view of this objective, preventive measures were conducted for Bird flu attack in poultry farms under the Rural Poultry Bio-Security Improvement Scheme (RUPBIS). In order to avert clashes between crop farmers and Fulani Pastoralists in the state, government organized several conflict prevention meetings.

In addition, Fadama farmers across the sixteen Local Government Areas of the state benefitted from highly subsidized input support ranging from poultry feeds to sprayers among others under the Fadama Project 2015 sustainability plan.

6. EDUCATION

Education continued to receive priority attention in the outgoing year. In line with this administration’s policy on provision of free qualitative and quantitative education to the citizenry, the state government paid a total sum of seventy-four million, three hundred and nineteen thousand, eight hundred naira only for NECO Examination fee for six thousand, five hundred and forty-eight students that passed the qualifying examination.

In addition, sixty-seven million, four hundred and ninety-four thousand naira was spent on other internal examinations such as Basic Certificate Examination, School Placement Examination and Senior Secondary 2 (SS II) promotion joint mock examinations.

As part of this administration’s effort to give all Kwarans equal opportunity on basic education, four nomadic schools were established at Joroma in Asa Local Government Area, Gide and Bagudu in Moro Local Government Area.

Additionally, in our effort to develop students’ interest in Mathematics, twenty-four students from Kwara State participated in Mathematics competition organized by the National Mathematical Centre, Abuja, and received recognition for outstanding performances.

Kwara State also came first in the senior, and third in the junior categories at the Mathematics Association of Nigeria (MAN) competition in Enugu during the outgoing year.

7. HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development continued with its routine activities of improving the per capital ratio of residents occupying standard housing, as well as physical planning, development and upgrading of neighborhoods in the state.

In the year under review, the ministry was able to process six hundred and sixty Right of Occupancy (R of O) certificates while five hundred and fifty-eight Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) certificates were processed. The performance of the ministry was however, hindered by the paucity of funds as experienced in other sub-sectors.

8. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION

The Ministry of Information and Communication continued its activities in line with the policy thrust of this administration on the need for the provision of effective public information services to the citizenry on the activities of government in order to bridge the information gap between the government and the governed.

To this end, government programs and activities were disseminated to all parts of the state regularly through state owned print and electronic media houses.

Meanwhile, the three state-owned media houses (Radio Kwara, Kwara State Television and The Herald Newspaper) are being repositioned to improve on their services in the area of information dissemination.

9. GENERAL PUBLIC SERVICES

In the area of workers’ welfare, this administration has continued to sustain regular payment of staff salaries and allowances despite the financial constraints facing the country’s economy. Similarly, more than three hundred and forty-nine staff in Ministries, Departments and Agencies were promoted as at when due during the outgoing year.

I am happy to state that during the year, two hundred and nineteen officers were granted study leave with pay, while fifty officers participated in workshops organized by the office of Head of Service.

In the same vein, ten officers benefitted from academic, professional and financial grants in the outgoing fiscal year.

Mr. Speaker, honorable members, we were able to accomplish all these in the outgoing year despite revenue shortfalls from federation account and other revenue sources.

In the first week of December, 2015, three billion, two hundred million naira was released out of the ten billion naira Excess Crude Account (ECA) loan facility recently approved by the State House of Assembly.

This facility is for existing and new infrastructural projects in the Education, Energy, Health, Road, and Justice subsectors in the state.

It is against this background of our accomplishment, the need to complete all on-going projects and create new programs that the 2016 Budget is being formulated.

OUTLOOK FOR THE 2016 BUDGET

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, the proposed 2016 budget was prepared in line with the emerging economic realities in the country.

We have, therefore taken proactive steps to improve internally generated revenue and reduce our dependence on the statutory allocation without placing burden on the citizenry.

In this regard, we are strengthening tax administration to ensure that all eligible tax payers in the state perform their civic responsibility of paying their taxes.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, our administration remains committed to provision of infrastructure that will deepen the socio-economic development of the state and enhance the welfare of our people.

In the light of these realities, the 2016 budget is christened Budget of Sustained Expansion. Sustained Expansion underlines our determination to implement those programs stalled by lack of funds in the outgoing year.

It also underscores our resolve to birth new programs and projects in order to expand opportunities for collective prosperity and economic empowerment for all, especially job creation for our youth. While the financial crisis facing our country is serious, the Budget of Sustained Expansion focusses on opportunities: Opportunities for growth, for new investment, for renewed agribusiness, for  strong entrepreneurship and for direct and indirect jobs.

Therefore, the main objectives of the budget are:

1. Revenue reforms that provide the fiscal space required for growth and stability of the state economy.
2. Increase revenue and block leakages to free additional revenue required for the implementation of government programs and projects.
3. Increase infrastructure development in order to boost socio-economic activities in the state through the completion of all ongoing projects in Health, Roads, Energy, Education, Water and Justice and to initiate new projects.
4. Ensure efficient expenditure that will result in significant savings.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, in formulating the 2016 budget proposals, the zero-based budgeting approach was used to arrive at our projections in line with the prevailing economic situation in the country. Zero-based budgeting is a system of budgeting where each MDA must justify all expenditure needs before it can be taken into budget proposals. Through this process, financial leakages were blocked and accountability brought into government spending with inherent transparency. With the foregoing, I shall now highlight the salient features of the 2016 budget.

In the 2016 fiscal year, the Kwara State government proposes to spend One hundred and sixteen billion, one hundred and sixty-four million, six hundred and forty-three thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five naira only.

This shows a decrease of one billion, five hundred and fourteen million, one hundred and sixty-three thousand, Eight hundred and thirty-one naira only, over the 2015 revised appropriation which represents 1.3% decrease.

The budget is made up of Recurrent Expenditure of forty-eight billion, four hundred and twenty-three million, eight hundred and forty-four thousand, three hundred and eighty-five naira only. This represents 42% of the total budget size.

The Public Debt Servicing is Ten billion, one hundred and twenty-four million, two hundred and thirty-five thousand, two hundred and fifty-three naira only which represents 9% of the total budget size. The Capital Expenditure is fifty-seven billion, six hundred and sixteen million, five hundred and sixty-four thousand, one hundred and thirty-eight naira only, representing 49% of the total budget size.

The breakdown of the proposed 2016 budget is as follows:

1. REVENUE BUDGET

The total projected revenue estimate from all the available sources to the state for 2016 fiscal year is One hundred and sixteen billion, One hundred and sixty-four million, six hundred and forty-three thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five naira only which is disaggregated into the following sources:

21. a)Statutory revenue allocation (FAAC)– Twenty-five billion, three hundred and sixty-three million, two hundred and fifty-five thousand, two hundred and seventy-six naira only, representing 21.8% of the total revenue budget.
22. b)Value Added Tax– Seven billion, three hundred and ninety-three million, six hundred and seven thousand and forty-four naira only, representing 6.4% of the total revenue budget.
23. c)Non-Oil Revenue– Four billion, two hundred and ninety-two million, seven hundred and twenty-three thousand, three hundred and thirty naira only, representing 3.7% of the total revenue budget.
24. d)Independent Revenue (IGR)– Twenty-nine billion, seventy-seven million, eight hundred and eighteen thousand, eight hundred and ninety-three naira only, representing 25% of the total revenue budget.
25. e)Capital Development Fund Receipt/Aid & Grants– Twenty-five billion, eight hundred and thirty-seven million, two hundred and thirty-nine thousand, two hundred and thirty-two naira only, representing 22.2% of the total revenue budget.
26. f)Other anticipated source (Bond facility from capital market)– Twenty billion naira only, representing 17.2% of the total revenue budget.
27. g)Term loan facility from financial institutions– four billion, two hundred million naira only, representing 3.6% of the total revenue budget.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, one area of concern has always been the low proportion of internally generated revenue, to the total revenue which implies high level of dependence on Statutory Revenue for Programs.

In the outgoing fiscal year, dwindling statutory allocation almost crippled the state’s activities.

In order to avert the re-emergence of such situation, the newly established Kwara State Internal Revenue Service will be given the necessary support to improve and boost the internally generated revenue base of the state, so as to have enough funds to sustain the state economy.

However, it is pertinent to emphasize that the economic survival and sustenance of our state is a task that must be achieved with the participation of all the citizens of the state.

2. EXPENDITURE BUDGET

Based on the anticipated level of revenue budget, the expenditure estimates are as follows:

41. a)      Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure– Forty-eight billion four hundred and twenty-three million, eight hundred and forty-four thousand, three hundred and eight-five naira only, representing 41.6% of the total expenditure budget.
42. b)      Recurrent (Public Debt charges) Expenditure– Ten billion, one hundred and twenty-four million, two hundred and thirty-five thousand, two hundred and fifty-three naira only, representing 8.7% of the total expenditure budget.

.c)     Capital Expenditure – Fifty-seven billion, six hundred and sixteen million, five hundred and sixty-four thousand, one hundred and thirty-eight naira only. This represents 49.6% of the total expenditure budget.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, the summary of the sectoral allocation of the budget size and percentages based on the main functions of the government in line with global best practice is as follows:

1. General Public Services:Twenty-seven billion, one hundred and six million, two hundred and seventy-three thousand, three hundred and   fifty-five naira only, representing 23.3% of the total budget size.
2. Public order and safety:One billion, five hundred and sixty-one million, two hundred and forty thousand, three hundred and eleven naira only. This represents 1.3% of the total budget size.
3. Economic Affairs:Thirty-seven billion, seven hundred and nine million, sixty-one thousand, one hundred and thirty-two naira only, representing 32.5% of the total budget size.
4. Environmental Protection:Four hundred and ninety-one million, seven hundred sixty-five thousand, nine hundred sixty-two naira only, representing 0.4% of the total budget size.
5. Housing and Community Amenities:Three billion, four hundred and thirty-nine million, five hundred and eighty-eight thousand, eight hundred and twelve naira only, representing 3.% of the total budget size.
6. Health:Eight billion, fifty-seven million, three hundred and thirty-nine thousand, eight hundred and six-three naira only,  representing 7% of the total budget size.
7. Recreation, Culture and Religion:One billion, four hundred and twenty- eight million, seven hundred and seventy-two thousand, eight hundred and eighteen naira only. This represents 1.2% of the total budget size.
8. Education:Thirty billion, four hundred and thirty-five million, nine hundred and ninety-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-four naira only, representing 26.2% of the total budget size.
9. Social Protection:Five billion, nine hundred and thirty-four million, six hundred and two thousand, nine hundred and twenty-eight naira only, representing 5% of the total budget size.

HIGHLIGHTS OF SECTORAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES

PROPOSED FOR 2016 FISCAL YEAR

The ability of any government to perform effectively and meet the expectations of its people depends on many factors, among which are adequate resources at the disposal of such a government and support from the citizenry.

I, therefore, call on citizens of Kwara State to continue to co-operate with the State Government in its effort to elevate the state and contribute their own quota to the development of the state.

1. GENERAL PUBLIC SERVICE

The major activities of the State Government in the sector will be vigorously pursued in 2016 fiscal year. All ongoing projects under this subsector will be accorded the highest priority to ensure their completion in 2016 fiscal year.

The state government will continue to place premium on the positive role of the civil service towards the implementation of its policies and programs while sustaining measures to improve the welfare of civil servants and boost their morale. A total sum of seven billion, seven hundred and seventy-six million, seven hundred and seventy-eight thousand, eight hundred and forty-eight naira is earmarked for various programs and projects for this sector in 2016 fiscal year.

2. ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
3. a)Agriculture: 

The State Government will continue to put all necessary machinery in place to promote commercial agriculture as well as provide an enabling environment for farmers and expand its agricultural potential in order to ensure food security for its citizen.

In the 2016 fiscal year, the following programs are anticipated to be executed in which a total sum of two hundred and forty-four million, seven hundred and twenty-three thousand, seven hundred and sixty-one naira only has been allocated.

1. Provision of fence and upgrading government fish farm along New Yidi Road, Ilorin.
2. Development of disease control posts at Bode-Saadu to forestall diseases and other related problems in Alapa, Lata and Babanla.
3. Development of grazing reserve to prevent clashes between cattle grazers and crop farmers.
4. Stock route development.
5. Agric Mall activities.
6. Integrated Youth Farm Settlement, Malete.
7. Livestock feed quality laboratory.
8. b)Energy

In order to actualize the new global order on sustainable development goals (SDGs) on energy, the state government is determined to diversify the energy sector to accommodate Public- Private Partnership involvement in clean and renewable energy supply.

In 2016 fiscal year, the state government will continue to improve power supply to our communities through the provision of transformers.

Similarly, effort will be intensified to recoup from the Federal Government our investment on energy in the state which is worth more than six billion naira.

In 2016 fiscal year, the state government is proposing the procurement and installation of 126 units of ABB transformer of various rating: 47 nos of 300/11KVA, 61 nos of 300/33KVA, 10 nos of 500/11 KVA and 8 nos of 500/33KVA to be distributed and installed across the sixteen Local Government Areas of the state.

To checkmate exorbitant bills being issued by Distribution Companies and to also ascertain monthly and annual power consumption by Ministries, Department and Agencies in the state, the State Government will embark on the procurement and installation of meters of various types in all MDAs across the four business hubs in the state. In the new arrangement, 99 units will go to Challenge, 36 units to Baboko, 43 units to Omu-Aran and 19 units to Jebba.

To accomplish these activities, a total sum of Eight billion, one hundred and seventy-two million, seven hundred and seventy-three thousand, three hundred and twenty-one naira only is allocated as capital expenditure for the 2016 priority projects in the sub-sector.

1. c)Works and Transport

In the 2016 fiscal year, top priority will be accorded to the completion of on-going road projects in order to sustain the progress already made in the past years. Adequate attention will be paid to the construction of new state roads, which will link up with farm settlements, communities, educational institutions, health centers, industries, tourist sites. In addition, rural and feeder roads will be constructed. The roads are:

62. Kaiama-Kishi road –           62.85km
63. Patigi-Rogun Kpada road – 43.5km

iii.          Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara-            32.80km

1. Geri-Alimi Fly-over Bridge
2. Expansion of Kwara Polytechnic road – Oyun Bridge-Oke-Ose Teaching Hospital (7km)
3. Dualization of Michael Imoudu-Ganmo/Afon junction road (1.9km)

vii.         Alternative Internal roads to decongest Tipper Garage at Tanke, Ilorin.

Accordingly, a total allocation of eight billion, eight hundred and sixty-one million, eight hundred and eighty-nine thousand, seven hundred and eight naira only is voted for this sector.

1. c)      Information and Communication

The state government in its bid to ensure adequate dissemination of information to the people in the state will continue to provide necessary support to the ongoing repositioning of the state owned media houses.

In this vein, the state government will commit the needed resources to the rehabilitation of Radio Kwara, The Herald and Kwara State Television so that they can continue to broadcast the programs and activities of the state government to the world and particularly the grassroots.

A total sum of seven hundred and   ninety-eight million, eight thousand, three hundred and ninety-seven naira only is allocated to the capital projects in this sub-sector in 2016 fiscal year.

3. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

This administration remains committed to the maintenance and sustenance of a clean environment as well as to ensure tree and forest conservation for environmental sustainability.

Attention will, therefore, be given to effective channelization and desilting of drainages to control floods and erosion prone areas in the state. A total sum of two hundred and seventy-two million, two hundred and ninety thousand naira only is set aside for project activities of this sub-sector.

3. HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AMENITIES
4. a) Housing and Urban Development

The state government will continue to promote Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the provision of houses and infrastructural facilities and stimulate strategic physical planning as well as development control. In line with this objective, the under listed projects have been slated for implementation during the 2016 fiscal year.

1. a)Neighborhood upgrading which is geared towards slum reduction and control of haphazard development.
2. b)Mass housing project for citizens in the state.
3. c)Construction of an office building/design studio for Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
4. d)Construction of an office building for the Town Planning and Development Authority.

A total sum of One hundred and ten million, six hundred and ninety- eight thousand, two hundred and eight-three naira only (N110,698,283) has been allocated for the accomplishment of these activities.

1. b)Water Supply

In the 2016 fiscal year, a total sum of One billion, two hundred and eighty-eight million, nine hundred and sixteen thousand, twenty-five naira only is proposed for the expansion and maintenance of water supply infrastructure and services in the state in the following areas:

The State Government will complete the multi-billion naira Ilorin metropolis water project, which has been on-going since 2006.

When the project, which includes the secondary and tertiary reticulation of at least twenty-five locations is completed, the coverage area of the water distribution network in Ilorin metropolis will be increased by about 25 percent.

Similarly, rehabilitation of some waterworks will be carried out in order to make water available all year round.

In addition, seven hundred and ninety-two (792) hand pump and one hundred and forty-four (144) motorized boreholes will be provided to our rural communities across the sixteen Local Government Areas in the state.

To strengthen the water tanker support services as a veritable potable water supply intervention initiative, the state government intends to procure additional water tankers for the service in the 2016 fiscal year.

5. HEALTH

The progress made so far in the implementation of the various health programs and projects will be consolidated during the 2016 fiscal year. In the coming fiscal year, rehabilitation of some hospitals and health centers across the state will be carried out. The facilities include those in Oro, Ajasse-Ipo, Iloffa, Aran-Orin and Arandun.

In order to ensure universal health coverage, the state government is planning to provide a Health Insurance Scheme for Public Primary School Pupils in the state in partnership with National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Also, the State Community Health Insurance Scheme will be provided with the counterpart fund to aid the upscaling of the scheme in the rural areas.

While Kwara State has the lowest HIV prevalence in the country, Government will continue to support advocacy programs to reduce transmission of the disease in the state. A total sum of five billion, seven hundred and sixty-three million, six hundred and eighty-three thousand, five hundred and fifty-seven naira only is proposed for this sub sector in 2016.

6. RECREATION AND CULTURE
7. a)      Sports and Youth

Attention will be given to sporting activities during the 2016 fiscal year.Accordingly, the following projects will be pursued in the coming year:

–              Construction of two new handball courts, one soccer practice pitch, two volleyball courts, two basketball courts and renovation of indoor sport hall complex, all at Ilorin Stadium Complex.  A total sum of six hundred and twenty-two million, six hundred fifty thousand naira has been set aside for these activities in 2016 fiscal year.

7. EDUCATION

To improve the quality of education at all levels, government will focus its attention on the infrastructural development of our educational institutions in order to provide a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning. To this end, major activities planned for implementation in 2016 are:-

1. a)Renovation, equipping, furnishing and fittings for thirty (30) existing secondary schools across the 3 senatorial districts of the state.
2. b)Education sector-wide portal development and deployment to track the physical infrastructure, teachers’ quality and students’ progress.
3. c)Equipping the International Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurship College (IVTEC) Ajasse-Ipo.
4. d)Construction, equipping and fitting of new KWASU College of Agricultural Science in Ilesha-Baruba, Phase I funding.
5. e)Construction, equipping and fitting of new KWASU College of Architectural and Environmental Studies in Osi, Phase I finding.
6. f)Construction, equipping and fitting of new KWASU School of Business and Governance in Malete. A total sum of sixteen billion, twenty-four million, seven hundred and sixty-five thousand, five hundred and forty-nine naira only.
7. PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY

Our administration will continue to support the Judiciary and promote a vibrant justice administration system. Accordingly, in 2016 fiscal year, a sum of three hundred and seventy million, eight hundred and sixty-four thousand only has been allocated for the implementation of various capital projects including the new Ministry of Justice office complex.

8. RURAL COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 

This administration is focused on improving the standard of living at the grassroots and providing pro-poor rural infrastructural facilities across the state to stem the tide of rural-urban syndrome.

In essence, government has strengthened the Kwara State Community and Social Development Agency (KWCSDA), an Agency under the Ministry of Planning of Economic Development, with restructuring and repositioning the policies and programs of government for implementation by this Agency in collaboration with the World Bank.

Presently, government, in collaboration with the World Bank, will expend an initial Eight hundred million naira only in the Rural Areas focusing specifically on the strategic sectors of Water, Health, Education, Roads, Energy and Environment.

All that is required of the community is the contribution of 10% of any felt-need project in these areas, and government will provide the outstanding 90% for the project implementation. The aim is to ensure sustainability and instill community ownership.

CONCLUSION

Mr. Speaker, Honourable members, I have today reviewed the outgoing year’s performance and our constraints.

I have also pointed the way forward and demonstrated that the New year holds great opportunities for our state and our people despite the challenges in the national economy.

As I conclude, let me make something clear. We have surmounted greater obstacles in the past. The constraints that confront us now are temporary. Together, we will overcome them and achieve our growth aspirations for our state.

Let me, at this juncture, thank citizens and residents of this state for their support, and understanding in the face of the current economic challenges in the country. I also wish to thank our Royal fathers for their role in maintaining peace in the state.

Finally, I thank Mr. Speaker and the Honourable members of this respected chamber for your support and understanding, which is evident in the synergy between us. I thank you all for your attention and wish you all Happy Holidays and a prosperous new year.

Thank You and God bless.