Date: 2017-02-03

The Kwara State House of Assembly has assured that the process of passing the 2017 budget will meet the vision of the state governor, with a view to creating more employment opportunities, increased Internally Generated Revenue and sustainable economic development of the state.

The Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad gave the assurance in Ilorin during the debate on General Principles of the Appropriation Bill before the legislature.

Dr Ahmad, who insisted that the budget should be premised on reality terms, pledged that the fiscal year's passage would be targeted at achieving specific goals and visions of the state governor.

He, expressed reservation over allocation to the agricultural sector and process of tapping its potentials, stressing that agriculture and tourism had been globally acknowledged 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 with delight the performance of the 2016 budget, and commended the governor for his ingenuity in establishing the state's Internal Revenue Service with a performance of 88.3% in October 2016.

He said that the state would be spending over 70.986 billion Naira 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. Mathew Babaoye, disclosed that a 6.5 billion Naira was earmarked for capital projects under the Ministry of Works this year.

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 this year's budget, in view of its strategic importance to socio-economic emancipation of the state.