Date: 2016-11-17

Gov. AbdulFatah Ahmed of Kwara on Wednesday presented a revised supplementary budget of N103.7 billion before the state House of Assembly for approval.

The governor's request which was contained in a message to the house, was read by the Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, during plenary of the assembly.

According to the governor's message, the supplementary 2016 budget earlier passed by the House was N128 billion, which represented 19 per cent decrease of the total budget size.

The governor, however, said that the figure affected the recurrent revenue and expenditure as well as effective development of the state and called for an upward review of the budget.

The Speaker after reading the message directed the members to carefully study the message for further legislative action. Also during Wednesday plenary, the assembly urged the state government to give attention to the plight of widows and the vulnerable in the society.

The legislature called for the establishment of poverty alleviation office in the state to cater for widows.

The House stated this after considering a motion on promoting the welfare of Widows in the state sponsored by Hajia Aishat Ibrahim (Ilorin –East), Abdulrofiu Abdulrahman (Ilorin North–West) and Ahmed Ibn Muhammed (Kaiama).

The house implored the state Ministry of Women Affairs to reintroduce a sustainable widow's day to better the lots of widows in the society.

The motion also called on the House to come up with a private bill that will protect the interest of widow as against the harmful traditional practices in the society.

It however, appealed to religious and Non Governmental Organizations to adopt programmes that would alleviate the plight of widows. Speaking after adoption of the motion, the speaker, Ahmad urged the people to be passionate about the plight of widows in the society, adding that problems associated with widowhood were usually cultural. (NAN)