Kwara to Send Social Investment Bill to Assembly

Kwara to Send Social Investment Bill to Assembly

A bill to replicate the federal government anti-poverty Social Investment Programmes in Kwara State will be sent to the state House of Assembly in few days’ time, the state Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has said.

AbdulRazaq said this when he visited the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) at Jimba-Oja in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state yesterday, adding that the legislation would domesticate the federal government TraderMoni and school feeding concepts in the state for the benefit of the poor in the state.

“The thrust of the administration is to lift our people out of poverty, and how to go about it is through agriculture. We have a goldmine in ARMTI and we will take full advantage of your resources.

“Empowerment must be from the communities, and I can assure you that we will engage you because soon we will send a bill to the state House of Assembly to replicate the federal government’s social investment programme in Kwara State,” the governor said.

He noted that the administration would also key into the Village Alive Development Initiatives (VADI) of AMRTI to empower Kwara youths and deepen participation in agriculture.

Executive Director of ARMTI, Olufemi Ajayi, lauded AbdulRazaq for his commitment to development.

Ajayi said VADI has been packaged to provide local farmers with micro credits in order to boost farming in rural communities.

Speaking later at the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation, the governor said his administration might revive the Patigi Rice Mill, and also encourage the setting up of Pando yam processing firms in the Baruten axis of the northern senatorial district as part of efforts to spread development.

AbdulRazaq said the Baturen/Kaiama axis of Kwara North is known for yam production, adding that establishing a small scale Pando yam processing firm would boost the economy of the area.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of NCAM, Doctor Muyideen Kasali, said the centre has the mandate to test and certify agricultural equipment in the country.

Kasali, who was represented by the Director of Engineering, Power and Machinery of the centre, Kamaldeen AbdulGafar, expressed displeasure that Kwara State has not taken full advantage of the agency, calling on the governor to partner the institution for mutual benefits.

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