Kunle Adelabu
Fourteen months after his inauguration as the Senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District, Sen. Adetokunbo Mikhail Abiru, FCA, has stated that he has sponsored 14 Bills and four Motions in the course of his legislative duty.
The former bank executive who also said that he has brought his experience and expertise from the corporate sector to bear on his duty as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industries, added that the committees is now effectively conducting its oversight function and ensuring that necessary importance is attached to industrialization because of its multiple effects on the economy.
Abiru, who was elected in a bye – election after the death of former Sen. Adebayo Osinowo in 2020, addressed editors and journalists from various news medium across the country at his constituency office in Ikorodu on Saturday, March 19, 2022, on his account of stewardship in the last 14 months.
“Dear esteemed Editors, it gladdens my heart to welcome you to this parley to give a record of my stewardship in the last 14 months in the saddle as the Senator representing the good people of the Lagos East Senatorial District in the National Assembly”, the Senator said.
“Recall that I was sworn-in on the 15th December 2020, as the Senator of the Federal Republic. I came in at a critical period in the nation’s history. It was a time we were slowly coming out of recession, which was also worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It has indeed been a trying period for many households and the nation at large. What we, as the Trustees of the Peoples’ sacred mandate, have tried to do, is to deliberately and continuously keep the hope of the people alive by working assiduously to deliver on the promises I made to our esteemed constituents during the 2020 Lagos East Senatorial By-election electioneering campaign.
Speaking on his primary duty as a lawmaker, Abiru said that he has offered his constituents and Nigerians by extension effective representation with his bills and motions and also bringing about effective management in governance.
“In fulfillment of our legislative agenda, I have sponsored many Bills and Motions which covered different sectors including banking and financial services, the economy, copyright, health, infrastructure and the provision of the legal framework for the reduction of the cost of governance. We have also endeavoured to offer our possible best towards providing effective representation for our people”, he said.
“The primary function of a lawmaker is to make laws. The expansion of government services and functions has contributed to an endless procession of ideas for laws. During the campaigns and at the commencement of my tenure in the Senate, I set a legislative agenda highlighting my core legislative interests.
“The Bills and Motions in focus for my legislative tenure which are already before the Senate for consideration and passage include the following: Thirteen (13) Bills and Four (4) motions: Copyright Act repeal and re-enactment Bill, 2021 (read the second time), Dishonored Cheques Act Cap D11 LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2021 (read the first time), Federal High Court Act (Amendment) Bill 2021 (read the first time) and The Federal Polytechnic Epe (Establishment, etc) Bill 2021.
Also, “The Utilities Charges Commission Act (Repeal) Bill, 2021, The Control of Delegated Legislation (Control and Procedure) Bill, 2021, The National Boundary Commission, Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021, The National Economic Intelligence Committee (establishment, etc) Act (Repeal) Bill, 2021 and The National Economic Reconstruction Fund Act (Repeal) Bill, 2021.
Others are, “The National Productivity Centre Act (Repeal) Bill, 2021, The National Metallurgical Development Centre Act (Repeal) Bill, 2021 and The Energy Commission of Nigeria Act (Repeal) Bill, 2021”.
The four Motions moved by the Senator are: Motion on the ban of cryptocurrency in Nigeria and Motion on the urgent need for the rehabilitation of the Ikorodu-Shagamu and Ikorodu-Itoikin-Epe roads to further bridge the infrastructural gap and enhance economic growth in Nigeria.
Other two are: Motion on the need to position Nigeria and Nigerian businesses for continental growth through the African continental free trade zone (Afcftz).
According to Abiru, “All the bills have been read the first time on the floor of the Senate while the Copyright Act (repeal and re-enactment) Bill, 2021 has been read the second time with the public hearing concluded and is awaiting presentation of the report on the Bill by the Committee.
“Also, sequel to motion I moved calling on the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the Ikorodu/Sagamu Road and Ikorodu/Itoikin/Epe Epe Road, our intervention with necessary follow-up and leveraging on our network has yielded positive outcomes as the Federal Government has included the funding of Ikorodu-Shagamu, in the SUKUK Financing program and the Ikorodu-Itoikin in the 2022 budget”, Sen. Abiru said.
Senator Abiru said that he has been discharging its representative duty effectively and pledged to provide more to the people.
“As a member of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, one of my primary responsibilities in the National Assembly is that of effective representation.
“In this light, every matter that concerns my constituency has received its deserved and prompt attention and has always been treated as such, like the petition I recently presented on the floor of the Senate on behalf of the Magodo Residents Association over the invasion of the estate by security agents from the Office of the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General of the Federation”, he said.
“My commitment to our people and indeed Lagos State is that I will continue to provide effective representation.
“I am of the firm belief that holders of political positions are in and hold a position of trust and must, therefore, fulfill the people’s aspirations. In the course of my campaigns and interaction with our people, I made promises as to my legislative agenda and I have within the limits of this short time tried to fulfil them.
Concerning his oversight function, Abiru said:
“I have within this period brought to bear my background and experience in the discharge of my responsibilities as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industries.
“Already, the Committee’s intervention is yielding fruits as the importance of industries to national development as a driver of industrialization through creation of jobs, generation of wealth, diversification of the economy, import substitution and enhancement of exports among others, is gaining prominence in our national life and receiving attention.
“I am committed to working assiduously to collaborate with the leadership of the Senate and the National Assembly, Ministries, Departments, Parastatals and Agencies under the purview of the Committee to continue to sustain our journey of transformation and attain our goals of industrialization”, he said.
In meeting the needs of his constituents, Sen. Abiru said that he commissioned an extensive NEEDS ASSESSMENT survey to ascertain the most pressing challenges facing respective communities under his district.
“The scientific study supervised by competent researchers revealed startling and disturbing facts about the state of public infrastructure, and socio-economic conditions of our people at the grassroots”, he said.
“Based on the findings of the NEEDS ASSESSMENT , in January 2021, I kicked off the COVID-19 Relief Scheme for the vulnerable people in the Lagos East Senatorial district and it has been running since then.
“The beneficiaries include widows, women, unemployed youths, aged and people with physical disabilities drawn from the 98 wards in the 16 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in the District. As of today, we have about 2,500 vulnerable members of the society being catered for.
In the area of education, the Senator said:
“In Ikorodu Central, Aga Primary School located in Borokini area, was overstretched due to high enrolment of pupils. The four classrooms in the schools had become distressed and inadequate. I facilitated four blocks of 24 classrooms equipped with complements of furniture and 16 toilets and Solar-Powered Borehole. The infrastructure has greatly improved learning outcomes in the school”, he said.
“In Ibeju-Lekki, two blocks of 6 classrooms have been completed at RCM Primary School, Iwerekun, Ibeju-Lekki. In Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, 1 block of 3 classrooms has also been delivered at Ajelogo Primary School. An ICT centre has also been facilitated at the Igbobi Junior High School, Somolu Lagos.
In providing his constituents quality health services, Abiru said:
“The yearnings for health facilities by esteemed constituents were also heeded. I facilitated the construction of a 40-bed Health facility and Dental Centre at the Ikorodu Campus of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), now known as the Lagos State University of Science and Technology. A 200-solar-powered street lights were attracted to the institution.
“In the same manner, another 30-Bed Health facility at Mascara Health Centre in Agboyi Ketu LCDA was also provided to the people. Likewise, another 40-bed is under construction at Isiu in Ikorodu North LCDA.
In other parts of the Lagos East Senatorial District, the Senator said:
“In Epe, a 960-spectator capacity mini stadium was also facilitated for the benefit of people, especially the youths. The two-pavilion sport facility is equipped with Basketball and Volleyball courts, and is almost ready for commissioning.
“Equally, the popular Oluwo Fish Market in Epe has also been remodeled. I have rehabilitated the entire market and increased the number of shops from 259 to 319 comprising of lock-up shops, open sheds and 48 toilets.
“To further empower businesses to thrive through the creation of enabling environment, we facilitated the supply and installation of transformers in several locations in the District including: Ito Progressive CDA, Ito Isiu, Igbopa Ifesowopo CDA, Ijede, Ire Ifelodun CDA, Igbogbo-Bayeku, Magodo Community CDA, Oke Ota Ona, Ikorodu, Ikorodu GRA 2, Ibeshe Igbogbo-Bayeku and Ifeloju Abule Eko, ljede in Ikorodu division.
Other benefitting communities of transformers facilitated by Senator Abiru are Sekungba CDA ikosi Ejirin, Isale Agoro CDA, Epe LGA, Idera-Oluwa CDA, Eredo LGA and Olugayan CDA, Imota, Idegun CDA, Imota, Gbaga Olorunda CDA, Adamo (Ikorodu North), Agura Central Gberigbe ( Ikorodu North), Garden Estate (Agboyi Ketu LCDA) and Agunbiade CDA ( Somolu).
While stating that he has been able to facilitate projects worth over I Billion naira for his district, Senator Abiru said that he is working with the leadership of the National Assembly to ensure that his people get developmental projects in 2022.
“For this year 2022, through collaboration with the leadership of the Senate, the National Assembly, Ministries, Departments, Parastatals and Agencies, we are determined to facilitate people-oriented projects in our other LGAs/LCDAs in the areas of; Health, Education and other required infrastructure.
Sen. Adetokunbo Abiru, also said that he has been contributing to the educational, youth and business developments in his district through his foundation: Tokunbo Abiru Constituency Team (TACT).
According to him, his foundation is addressing challenges facing small businesses and dearth of education while also building capacity of the youths through his TAC) initiatives.
