Date: 2020-12-21

Kwara State House of Assembly has commenced Ministerial budget defense as part of process for the passage of the State's Appropriation Bill, 2021.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Engr Yakubu Danladi Salihu in his opening remarks urge head of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to approach the important State assignment with open mind and utmost sincerity in the interest of the people of Kwara state, according to a statement by Special Assistant, Media to the Speaker, Ibrahim Sheriff.

"This is the second interface on budget; the first been on the 2020 Appropriation. As you are all aware, we have no other State other than Kwara, so let us feel free and be sincere in whatever we are doing. Let us defend only the defensible" he said.

The Lawmaker added that "As politicians, we are like soldiers, you are barracks and must therefore work together for the progress of Kwara state. The budget is for the people, we must therefore be guided by the need for the budget to ultimately serve the people's interest for posterity sake.

The Chairman, House Committee on Ethics, Privilege and Judiciary, Hon. Ganiyu Folabi Salahu noted that "the budget defense is an interface intended to rob minds on the contents of proposals as they concern each Ministry and Parastatal in the appropriation Bill presented before the Kwara state House of Assembly by His Excellency, the Governor on Tuesday 15th December, 2020.

"It is therefore expected, that the proposals address the genuine needs of the Ministries or Parastatals to enable the Government of the day deliver on its promises to the people of the State."

Salahu added that the proposal must above all, be realistic and implementable in view of scarce resource.

The 2021 Ministerial budget defense starts with Governor's office, Office of the Head of Service and the Kwara state Ministry of Energy. End.

Ibrahim Sheriff .A.

S. A., Media to the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly