By AbdulFatai Beki.
Ilorin – The Kwara House of Assembly, on Thursday in Ilorin, confirmed the establishment of the Kwara Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K).
The confirmation was sequel to Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed’s request for the approval of the scheme, which would fund all developmental projects in the state.
The governor had sought the legislative backing on the establishment of the state Infrastructure Development Fund (IF-K) for the execution of capital projects under public private partnership.
Th governor, in his Oct. 19 message, which was read by the Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad, said that the board had been fully set up in line with the law establishing the IF-K.
He added that the board had in addition, ratified the appointments of the bureau and matters relating to the IF-K in accordance with Section 18 (1) and Section 10 of the KP3 Bureau Law.
Ahmed described IF-K as an optimum process for gap closure after consideration of several factors.
According to him, the initiative is expected to be a modulated approach to meeting the sophisticated infrastructure financing needs.
The governor, therefore, sought for the House confirmation and acceptance of the IF-K to be fully operational.
The House had summoned six state public officers over issues relating to the confirmation and establishment of the Fund.
Officers summoned were the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Babatunde AbdulWahab, the Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Ademola Banu and his counterpart in the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, Alhaji Wasiu Odewale.
Among others were the Chairman, Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, Dr Muritala Awodun and the Accountant General of the State, Alhaji Suleiman Ishola.
The legislature expressed satisfaction with the briefing on the rationale behind the establishment of the board.
It confirmed the appointment of an Acting Director-General and replacement with a new Board Chairman of the Bureau for Public Private and Partnership (PPP) for the execution of capital projects in the state.
Also, at the plenary, a bill for a law to establish the Kwara State Health Insurance Agency and the Kwara State Health Insurance Scheme passed through the first reading.
The bill seeks to provide access for affordable health care for residents of the state.
The motion for the first reading was moved by the Chairman, House Committee on Health and Environment, Mr Ahmed Ibn- Muhammed.
The Speaker later directed the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed- Katsina to read the bill for the first time
The bill was later committed to the House Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.
