Kwara Assembly dares Gov. Ahmed, suspends consideration of 2018 budget
The Kwara State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, suspended further consideration of the state’s 2018 Appropriation Bill, following alleged non-implementation of its resolutions on reversal of hike in tuition fees of the state-owned Polytechnic.
To this end, it has summoned the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr Aminat Ahmed and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Tertiary Education, to appear before it at 4.00p.m. same Wednesday.
It would be recalled that the House had, in its Tuesday sitting, unanimously resolved to give final consideration to 2018 Appropriation Bill at Wednesday’s sitting.
Reading the resolutions of the Assembly, Speaker Ali Ahmad, said the legislature resolved to stand down further consideration of the budget, until the invited government officials appeared before it and give convincing explanation on why the resolutions of the House, in respect of payment of tuition fees in Kwara Polytechnic had not been complied with.
The Speaker, who expressed displeasure over the development, explained that the House had allocated N300m as subvention to the Polytechnic, in the 2018 budget, to ease its financial challenges.
Ahmad disclosed that failure to appear before it, at plenary on Wednesday at 4.00p/m., further consideration of the budget would be suspended until further notice, Daily Sun reports.
Leader of the House, had during the consideration of 2018 budget at the Committee of Supply, informed the House that the resolutions of the House, in respect of reversal of hike in tuition fees, in the state’s Polytechnic had not been complied with, thereby putting a moral burden on the House.