Controversy trails re-certification of state of origin in Kwara

Controversy has trailed re-certification of State of Origin by students of tertiary institutions in Kwara State as directed by the state Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS).

It  will be recalled that the management of KWIRS had written authorities of tertiary institutions in the state, directing students of Kwara State origin to get fresh certificates of State of Origin, a move considered by students as exploitative.

While the state government had explained that the directive was aimed at sanitising perceived illegal issuance of certificate of origin, outcries still persisted over the issue.

During its Thursday sitting, the State House of Assembly directed the KWIRS to immediately withdraw the letter of re-certification of State of Origin sent to various higher institutions of learning in the state.

Similarly, it has also directed its Committee on Finance and Appropriation to invite the state Internal Revenue Service for clarification on the status of the old version of the Certificate of Local Government  of Origin

The legislature gave the directives  while considering a motion on  “Contradictions Arising from Issuance of Certificate of Local Government of Origin” raised by a member representing Ilorin North-West constituency, Honourable Abdulrafiu Abdulrahman.

Reading the resolutions of the House, the Deputy Speaker, Elder Matthew Okedare, who presided over the sitting, said the directives became necessary to avert unnecessary  hardship, occasioned  by  the directive to the students of Kwara State origin in tertiary institutions as well as clear gray areas on  issues surrounding the re-certification exercise.

The House equally mandated the state  Internal Revenue Service to as a matter of urgency suspend its announcement/advocacy on media houses and in tertiary institutions until gray areas surrounding the issues were resolved by the state House of Assembly.

Abdulrahman had, while raising the motion, observed among other things, that there was no policy invalidating the current certificate and queried the internal circular issued by the authorities of University of Ilorin on the re-certification exercise.

Meanwhile the state House of Assembly has commended the Kwara State Governor Alhaji  Abdulfatah Ahmed for releasing funds to provide palliative on the collapsed Moro bridge on Ilorin-lgbeti -Benin Republic International route to alleviate the suffering occasioned by the collapsed bridge.

The House made the commendation today following an update on the collapsed Moro bridge and other Federal roads by the chairman of the House Committee on Energy,Works and Transport, Honourable Matthew Babaoye.

The Deputy Speaker explained that with this intervention, the state Governor had demonstrated that he was sensitive to the yearnings of the people.