Date: 2016-12-01

The Kwara State Governor Alhaji Abdul Fatah Ahmed has sought the approval of the State House of Assembly to access N1b CBN Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme facility from the Union Bank PLC.

In his message to the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad, read at the floor of the House, the Governor said the sharp drop in the Federal allocation receipt occasioned by continuous fall in the global oil prices, which according to him culminated in the inability of government at all levels, to meet basic obligations necessitated the review of the nation's economic policy and resolved to diversify the Country's economy using agriculture and Solid Mineral Development as catalyst.

The Credit Scheme window which he said was aimed at boasting agricultural activities to guarantee food security and a robust foreign exchange earner, said the Union Bank had offered the facility through the CBN to the State government for onward disbursement to cooperative farmers across the 16 Local Government Areas in the State, with a view to expanding agricultural activities and has a tenor of 36 months.

The Governor explained that the State government being one of the beneficiaries of the Scheme, had achieved a lot, through an unflinching commitment to the implementation of agricultural policies, saying that to access the facility, the approval of the Legislature was required and urged the House to grant the approval to enable his government access the loan. The House has therefore slated debate on the request till the next legislative date.

Meanwhile, the House in its Sitting on Tuesday passed 3 Bills into laws. The Bills were Kwara State Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education ( Amendment)Bill 2016, State Teaching Service Commission (Amend ment)Bill 2016 and Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Bill 2016. The major amendments in the 3 Bills were appointments of Permanent Secretaries to serve as administrative head and Secretary of the affected Board and Commissions respectively which according to the amended laws would be deployed from the State Civil Service instead of experienced Secretary in the Principal laws.

The Amendments equally created the office of Director of Personnel, Finance and Supply, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics and Controller of Finance in the newly passed laws.

The Speaker who directed the Clerk to the House Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed to read the bills for the third time directed him to prepare clean copy of the bills for the Governor's assent.

Also , another private bill, a bill for a law to establish the office for disable affairs, provide protection against discrimination based on disability, provide equal opportunity and access for people with disabilities and for connected purposes sponsored by a member representing Ilorin East Constituency Hon. Aishat Ibrahim passed through first reading at the floor of the House.