Date: 2017-02-04

The Kwara State House of Assembly has directed its Committee on Finance and Appropriation to allocate funds for Bursary and Scholarship for indigent students in this Year's budget.

The Deputy Speaker Elder Mathew Okedare who presided over the sitting gave the directive , following the submission of a member representing Ilorin North West Constituency Hon. Abdul Rafiu Abdul Rahman during the conclusive debate of the Legislators on the general principles of the 2017 Appropriation Bill before the House .

Elder Okedare explained that the allocation of fund for scholarship and bursary in 2017 budget became imperative, in view of the urgent need to cushion the current economic hardship on the indigent students and their parents.

The Deputy Speaker praised members for their robust contributions on the appropriation bill and urged members to sustain their commitments during budget defence by MDAs to ensure the passage of a budget that would address the needs of the People of the State.

Hon Rafiu had while speaking on the general principles of the budget described education as the bedrock of any sustainable development and called on the state government to take the issue of counterpart fund serious to enable the State tap enormous window opportunities in addressing infrastructural deficit in the State.

Members representing Ojomu/Balogun, Owode/ Onire Constituencies Hons Saheed Popoola Abdul Rasheed Taiwo Abdullahi and others who spoke had among other things advocated the declaration of State of emergency in agriculture, need for budget surplus and strengthening of the state Audit Department to ensure accountability and transparency in governance.