Date: 2016-12-20

Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday awarded scholarship to 73 first-class graduates from Kwara State as part of his 54th birthday.

The Senate president hosted the graduates and their parents at his residence in Ilorin on Sunday.He explained that it was time for the country to depend less on oil and spend more on the development of the human resources.

Saraki explained that the courses where the graduates distinguished themselves were "very difficult disciplines." "Often, we spend a lot of time discussing oil business, but spend less time on the issues that affect the advancement of the human resources. The human resource is more worthy than oil and tantalite," he said.

He praised the beneficiaries' parents for ensuring that the children had a good education.He listed the disciplines where the beneficiaries bagged a first-class as mathematics, economics, biochemistry, civil engineering, computer science, statistics and microbiology.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday sent a goodwill message to Saraki on his birthday.Buhari described Saraki as "one of the most influential politicians of our time who has made tremendous impact in the country."

According to him, Saraki has successfully kept the legacies of his late father, Olusola Saraki, by identifying with his people at the grassroots.

Buhari urged the National Assembly to sheath the sword and cooperate with the executive to ensure the smooth implementation of government policies and programmes.

He urged the Senate president not to allow the differences that may occasionally arise between the two arms of government to compromise the greater interest of the country.