Kunle Adelabu with Simire God’sgift Oluwatobiloba, Olaleye Taiwo Deborah & Ayoola (SIWES Students)
The representative of Ikorodu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA), has said that he has delivered on 60% of the promises he made to his constituents that gave him the mandate to represent them, within the first 13 months.
Speaking at the Constituency Stakeholders Meeting held at Golden Event Centre, Oke – Eletu in Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Aro, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Public-Private Partnership (PPP), stated that he has impacted his constituents in the areas of business support, partnered with students unions and supported them, facilitated grading of over 70% roads in communities within his constituency, secured employment for 50, and registered 300 individuals for health insurance among others.
Lawmakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Friday, held simultaneous stakeholders’ meetings with their constituents with renewed commitments to boost food security and sufficiency in the state.
At this year’s stakeholders’ meeting, which was the first by the lawmaker, 60 constituents that were trained in various skills – fashion, barbing, hairdressing,, catering among others, were also empowered with equipment of their trade and monetary support.
The Stakeholders’ meeting, was attended by leaders across the Ikorodu Division, and hundreds of constituents is the ninth in the series and its themed: ‘Ensuring Food Security for Sustainable Future: Youth Participation and Home-Grown Farming’.
“In just 13 months, we have managed to fulfill over 60% of our campaign promises. This has been possible because of our shared passion and commitment to improving the lives of our people.
“One of my greatest passions has been supporting our students, skilled workers, SMEs, and unemployed youths. I have injected about 50 million naira into market women’s businesses across the constituency.
“Additionally, 59 individuals have successfully received professional training, will receive world-class equipment, and financial capital today to start their operations immediately.
“Before I had the honor of representing you at the Lagos State House of Assembly, I witnessed firsthand the challenges posed by the shortage of fish supply in Lagos State. Today, I am proud to announce the establishment of a fish hub in Ikorodu Constituency II, which will not only create jobs but also significantly increase the fish supply across Lagos State.
“Our partnership with student union bodies across the three LCDAs is producing remarkable results. We have initiated a zero-dropout scheme and successfully sent pupils who were out of school back to their classrooms. We have also provided free GCE and JAMB forms for students, with many of them achieving outstanding results”, Hon Aro said.
The first term lawmaker also said that he has used his representation to foster unity and cooperation among youths by sponsoring football competition, adding that he has facilitated and delivered many transformers and also graded roads in many communities.
“In addition to our educational initiatives, we organized the Under-16 Football Competition, STAR Youth Football League, across the consistency. This events have fostered unity, showcased young talent, and provided a platform for our youths to excel in sports.
“Our effort to expedite state projects, particularly construction across the constituency, are yielding significant results. We have facilitated the grading of roads in over 70% of communities in Ikorodu Constituency II.
“Moreover, we have secured five transformers for various communities and are working tirelessly to acquire more for those still in need. I am pleased to announce that we have successfully facilitated the allocation and delivery of these transformers, ensuring improved power supply to our communities”, he said.
The Chairman, Lagos House of Assembly Committee on PPP, also said that aside providing jobs for 50 individuals across the three LCDAs in Ikorodu Constituency II, while he registered 300 residents for the Ilera Eko Scheme in his effort t to support his people.
“During my campaign, I promised to help job seekers secure employment with the State government. I am delighted to report that over 50 jobs have been secured in just 13 months. Through diligent lobbying, we have successfully installed the Oba of Elepe kingdom, and we are on track to achieve even more in this regard.
“My concern for the health of our people led to securing the ILERA EKO SCHEME (health insurance) for 300 individuals. We have also begun incorporating companies for SME owners, and I am finalizing a proposal to set up POS businesses with necessary capital, for our people across Ikorodu Constituency II.
“ ln our pursuit of sustainable energy solutions, I am pleased to announce that we have distributed solar lights to households in Oreta and Ayetoro communities.
“This initiative is a buildup for our larger solar street light projects, aimed at providing reliable and eco-friendly lighting solutions for our neighborhoods”, he said.
While responding to general comments, questions and observations raised by constituents, Hon. Aro said:
“I am happy with our responses. This would assist us in budget planning for next year. You can see a very good team from the Lagos State House of Assembly among us today recording all that we are saying and they are going to put them together for the use of the House.
“They have recorded everything and I am confident that this will guide us in preparing our budget for next year.
“Let me speak confidently with you because I have very good knowledge about all that you have raised. Before the advent of President Bola Tinubu, we have been living a fake life and all the resources that we ought to have used for our development, were used to subsidise and this sis not the way to go.
“But since the advent of this administration, we have been seeing changes even though they are difficult because of the removal of subsidy on fuel. This is why we are seeing that the FG is constructing the Igbogbo/Offin/Oreta road. This may not be possible if they government is still paying subsisdy.
“The construction was facilitated by our representative, Rep. Babajimi Benson, because there are funds to access. Henceforth, we will be seeing improvements on our roads and other infrastructures that would enable our people productive.
“I am pleading with or people to be patient with the government, because goods time are near”, he said.
He said that the second phase of Ijede road construction is already in the next year budget and also added that the government had to divert to the Gberigbe road because of the hardship that uses of Gberigbe road were facing.
“By the special grace of God, the Gberigbe road will be completed by December this year, and once that is done, Ijede road second phase will commence next year”, he said.
While responding to the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, HRM Oba Semiudeen Kasali,on the state of the Igbogbo – Bola Tinubu – Igbe Laara road and that of Igbogbo/Bayeku road which its construction has been on for about eight years, and failure of the government to pay compensation to residents whose houses were affected, Hon. AMA, who played a major role in the resumption of work on the road after about a year which the contractor had abandoned the project and that of Gberigbe, he said.
“It is the Lagos State Public Works Corporation that is handling the Igbogbo/Bayeku road project and we have made provision for them in terms of funding only that they cannot access for now. Enough money have already been allocated public works to continue the project
“I do not know anything about the second phase but all I know is that there is enough fun to complete the project.
“On the Igbogbo-Bola Tinubu – Igbe Laara road, Kabiyesi also know the bureaucracy that is involved. I can confidently say that HiTech has received N10billion over six months ago.
“Kabiyesi (Adeboruwa of Igbogbo) is aware of this because he always disturb me over the road at all time. I want to appeal to everyone that we should exercise more patience and that the road would be completed. We shall commission the rad soon”, he assured.
Also commenting, HRM Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro, the Ranodu of Imota, commended the Lagos State Government on projects that were located in Imota like the rice mill and charged the lawmaker on the need to ensure that the government include resolutions sent over the years in the budget and implement projects that were requested for from the Division.
Other requests made by the constituents from Ijede LCDA were appeal to the lawmaker to ensure quick installation of Alajede after several years, completion of Ijede jetty, completion of Ijede abattoir, completion of Ijede road reconstruction from Igbodu junction to Ijede town, rehabilitation of Luwasa High School, Ijede among others and intervention and support for Obateru of Egbin over the Egbin Secondary School established by the royal father.
On the part of the people from Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, they asked Hon. Aro to ensure the quick competition of Igbogbo – Bola Tinubu – Igbe Laara Road, hastening of work on Igbogbo -Bayeku road, appeal to the state government for the completion of Agunfoye road, construction o Morekete road to provide alternative route to Offin/Oreta axis and upgrading/expansion of Beyeku Primary Health Centre.
Hon. Aro at the meeting, identified food insecurity as a multi-faceted challenge requiring the efforts of the government and the people to resolve.
He said the Lagos Assembly was committed to ensuring food security in line with the United Nation’s sustainable development goals of eradication of poverty.
Other dignitaries at the constituency meeting were Dr. Nurudeen Agbaje, Special Adviser on LG & Community Development, Dr. Adeola Jokomba, State APC Secretary, Lagos State, Hon. Saheed Adefarasin Hassan, former Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, Chairman, Ijede LCDA represented by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Wasiu Agoro, Chairman, Imota LCDA, High Chief Alliu Musediq, the Olisa of Ijede, High Chief Taudeen Onasanya, the Odofin of Igbogbo, Otunba Olasukanmi Tijani, Divisional APC Chairman, Mr Babatunde Afuwape who represented IDEA and Mrs Sodade Adejoke, Deputy Director in the ministry of Agriculture in Lagos State and Comrade Oluwafemi Fakolade, Chairman, NUT Ikorodu LG, among many others.
