The Revised 2023 Kwara Supplementary Budget of N239 billion scaled second reading at the state House of Assembly on Thursday in Ilorin.

The motion to that effect was moved by the house leader, Abdulkadir Magaji (APC/Ilorin Central), during plenary and was seconded by Mohammed Musa (APC/Patigi).

In leading the debate based on the general principle of the bill, Mr Magaji recalled that the state’s total budget for 2023, earlier passed by the lawmakers, was N188,845,603561.

He said in view of the additional income that would accrue to the purse of the state government, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq had considered it imperative to jerk up the year’s budget with a supplementary appropriation.

He said the budget was jerked up to N239,084,199,757 as against the main 2023 budget, representing a 27 per cent increase.

Mr Magaji explained that this was to enable the government to do more for the people, especially in the provision of palliatives for the citizenry to cushion the effects of the removal of petrol subsidy.

He added that a deep study of the appropriation bill indicated that critical sectors were given adequate attention, with adequate provisions made to fund all ongoing projects and complete them.

Other lawmakers, in their contributions, said the revised budget was to ensure that the government kept up its good work of improving the lives of the people.

The speaker, Yakubu Salihu (APC/Gwanara), directed the clerk, Kareem Ahmed, to read the bill for the second time, and thereafter it passed the second reading.

The bill was further referred to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation to report back as soon as possible.

In another development, the house urged the state government to put machinery in place for the establishment of a commodity market in each of the state’s 16 local government areas.

The motion, which was tagged: “Need to Establish a Commodity Market in Each of the 16 Local Government Areas of Kwara”, was moved by Halidu Danbaba (APC/Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe) and seconded by Rasaq Owolabi (APC/Share/Okeode).

In leading the debate, Mr Danbaba noted that the need for a commodity market in each of the 16 local government areas of the state cannot be overemphasised due to the current economic situation of the country.

He urged the state government to extend its benevolence to Kwara residents by way of establishing commodity markets for people to be able to buy goods at subsidised rates.

(NAN)