Outgoing Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ali Ahmad, has urged the incoming Assembly men in the state to pass a bill which will make it compulsory for students in public schools in the state to wear uniform made from hand woven clothes (aso ofi) by local weavers in the state.
Speaking on Thursday at a three-day induction course for members-elect of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Ahmad said that the aim of the bill, introduced during his tenure, was to encourage local production of hand woven cloth (Aso-Ofi) which is being produced in large quantity by the people of Ilorin.
“The eight Legislative Assembly which I head as the Speaker has started by making it compulsory for all members of the Assembly to wear native dress every Wednesday of the week. We want to extend it to our Primary and Secondary school students by sponsoring a bill that will make it compulsory for them to wear uniform made from our locally made Aso-Ofi instead of wearing the one made from China.
“This will improve the state economy and provide more jobs for our people,” he added.
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Dr. Ahmad charged the incoming legislators to ensure that this bill and Freedom of Information bill was passed by them.
The Speaker urged the incoming assemblymen to domesticate Freedom of Information (FoI) Act in the state.
Dr Ahmad added that the 8th legislature tried unsuccessfully to bring the Act to the state.
“The outgoing 8th legislature had wanted to bring the Freedom of Information Act to Kwara State. I urge the incoming Assembly to ensure that that happens.
There is this one on Aso-ofi. That is where we were going when we said we wear native attire every Wednesday. We want to make the use of Aso-ofi as shorts for students in the state. Aso-ofi is an industry in the state.
“I urge the incoming legislature to make it first a policy and then a law so that instead of buying Chinese products for our students, it will be Aso-ofi that our people are weaving. We hope the 9th legislature will make that law so that our resources will be localized
in the state.”
Speaking on the induction of members, Dr Ahmad said “training and retraining is therefore a panacea for attaining a vibrant and result-oriented legislature and a prerequisite to excellence in any human endeavour.
“Although the span of this programme may not be adequate to meet the entirety of your training needs as new legislators, it is my belief that it will serve as a veritable foundation upon which post induction training and experience on the job will be built.
“I therefore implore you to take maximum advantage of the programme to prepare yourselves for the onerous task ahead of you. This pre-induction training is another legacy that the outgoing 8th assembly intends to bequeath to the incoming legislature.”
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