Date: 2017-12-17

Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ali Ahmad has pledged that the House would do everything possible to ensure that sizable number of Artisans in the state are awarded state government contracts.

To achieve this, Ahmad said the lawmakers were working round the clock to pass the State Public Procurement Act by January, 2018.

The law, according to him, would state categorically and compel contractors that would be patronised by government on percentages of Artisan that must be engaged.

Ahmad made the pledge on Thursday when the Artisans' Executives led by the Special Assistant to the governor on Artisans, Mr. Oyedele Adetula paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

He said that the 8th Assembly was committed to improvement of qualities of locally made goods, hence the resolution passed some months back directing the lawmakers to always appear in native attires at Wednesday sittings.

Ahmad promised that the challenges the artisans face would be addressed soon as part of efforts in promoting made in Nigeria products.

The Speaker, however, enjoined the union not to renege on their promise to continue supporting the present administration.

Earlier, the Special Assistant to the governor on Artisan, Mr. Oyedele Adetula had informed that the union decided to visit the House with a view to find lasting solutions to the artisans' plight.

Also, Chairman of the Artisan union, Alhaji Saad Alawaye had appealed to the Speaker to assist the union in making relevant laws that would enhance his members patronage by the contractors handling various jobs in the state.