The Kwara State government's budget proposals for 2014 fiscal year accord  economic affairs top priority with the allocation of the largest chunk of the budget to the sector.

The sum of N20bn was allocated to the economic sector in the budget proposals presented before the state House of Assembly on Tuesday by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Economic affairs was closely followed by the education sector which takes N19.7bn or 33 per cent of the budget while the government is expected to spend N8.7bn or 14.9 per cent on the health sector.

The total budget size is N124, 525, 957, 113bn and was tagged, "Budget of Expansion for Inclusive Prosperity" 
It represents an increase of N27bn or 28.46 per cent over the 2013 revised budget.

While the recurrent expenditure would gulp N48bn or 39 per cent, N68bn or 47 per cent of the budget would be spent on the capital projects. 

The budget also shows that the sum of N17bn will be utilised for debt servicing.

The 2014 budget, the governor explained, would be "a blueprint for sustaining on-going development and birthing major new projects to put more money in people’s pocket, get more youths into work, remodel additional hospitals, build more schools and roads thus opening new vistas of economic prosperity."

Ahmed disclosed that government will in the first quarter of 2014 create 3, 500 new jobs and midwife 2000 new youth entrepreneurs through training and access to N200m in affordable revolving credit.

He stated further that government would embark on large-scale projects to bridge the infrastructural gaps and intensify the state's development. 

He said, "Having conducted a through study of our actual infrastructural status, we have identified a statewide deficit that we intend to fill. 

"Government will therefore establish the Kwara Infrastructure Development Fund to implement a modulated approach to meeting these infrastructure requirements. Within three years, government intends to bridge a third of the identified deficit through rapid development."