The lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru on Thursday empowered 1,250 market women and traders with the sum of N50,000 business grants.
This amounted to N62.5 million empowerment.
Market leaders across the 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the district selected beneficiaries from each of the councils.
Iya Olojas in the 16 LGs/LCDAs were given the direct responsibilities of selecting 50 members each in their localities totaling 800 market women, while the remaining beneficiaries were nominated by the party structure.
“The empowerment also includes the distribution of Hand-planters to about 200 farmers, along with financial grants of N20,000 for our farmers in the agrarian part of the district.
“These projects and support for market women and rural farmers are part of the fulfilment of the social contract I solemnly had with the people of the Lagos East Senatorial District while seeking their mandate in 2020,” Abiru said.
The lawmaker also said the projects attracted to Epe town being commissioned are: a 960-capacity mini-Stadium, which include; Football pitch, Basketball and Volleyball courts, administrative offices, changing rooms and other amenities; and the remodelling of the popular Oluwo Fish market which now comprises 240 open stalls, 82 lock up stalls, 5 open floors, 12 toilets and 4 new offices for Iya Oloja and Baba Oloja, Tourism Board and Local Government Staff Security post.
He said: “I publicly acknowledge and appreciate the magnanimity of the presidency, through the Office of SDGs, for the projects we are commissioning today. These projects, which also include support for market women and rural farmers, are part of the fulfillment of social contract I solemnly had with the people of Lagos East Senatorial District while seeking their mandate in 2020.
“The modest achievements I have recorded in the last 18 months in the saddle as a Senator will be sustained with more interventions that will directly impact the lives of our people. I shall maintain this daunting tempo of leadership and development, while also assuring my constituents of effective and quality representation in line with my ‘Doing Good’ mantra.”
Abiru said he took up the assignment with a determination and passion to improve the lots his constituents and elevate the socio-economic condition of the people, thereby complementing the efforts of the State Government.
Aside sponsoring 13 private member bills and co-sponsored three other bills, which included motions, the lawmaker said he had prioritised three key pillars of legislative role, empowerment and endowment to deliver dividends of democracy to his constituents.
He congratulated the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the APC Presidential Candidate for the 2023 General elections, urging all to not only get fully registered but to also step up the civic advocacy for the people to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) which the electoral umpire has graciously extended.
“We need to also educate those who have earlier registered to check the validity of their PVCs. This is crucial for all of us and our great party, APC, especially now that our revered leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is the presidential flag bearer of the APC.
“Like Asiwaju said when he met with HRM (Oba) Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos and his chiefs at the palace, the major task ahead is getting people to register for PVCs and ensure they vote for the APC at the general elections.
“Therefore, galvanizing and educating voters is the best support we can give for the aspiration to come into fulfilment,” Abiru stated.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos was on ground to unveil the key constituency projects facilitated and delivered by Abiru.
The projects, Sanwo-Olu said, are ones that will have direct impacts on the socio-economic reality of the town, praising Sen. Abiru for “diligently” representing the district in the National Assembly.
The Governor said: “Over the last 18 months, Senator Abiru has dutifully delivered the dividends of democracy in several areas and on multiple fronts, not just in the primary mandate of law-making, but also in terms of life-changing empowerment and endowment.
“Today, we are here to commission a number of infrastructure projects by him, some of which are facilitated through the Office of the Special Assistant to President Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), occupied an esteemed daughter of Lagos, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.”
Sanwo-Olu expressed his delight on the benefit of the projects to the residents, noting that the market project was commerce-oriented, designed to improve the livelihood and earning capacity of beneficiaries. The recreational facility, the Governor said, is a project that would positively affect people’s lifestyle and translate to health benefits, as well as improved quality of life.
The Governor said the lawmaker had lived up to the ideals of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and to the legacy of transformation instituted in Lagos since 1999.
He appealed to the beneficiaries to see the projects as public resources entrusted in their care, urging them to productively utilise the facilities with the utmost sense of responsibility.
Sanwo-Olu used the occasion to appeal to Epe residents on the pace of work on the ongoing reconstruction of Eleko to Epe T-Junction, pointing out that construction activities on the highway remained on course and would be scaled up to meet the completion deadline.
The Governor said the ongoing rehabilitation of Oke Iwo-Marina Road in Epe town would be completed and commissioned in the next two months, adding that the State Government had awarded the contract for the construction of Mosafejo Road in Agbowa.
He said: “This is also what our great party, the APC, stands for, bringing a better life for all our people, regardless of their age, gender, religion or income class. Our goal is to ensure that no one is left behind, as we spread development around Lagos.”
Orelope-Adefulire applauded the lawmaker for making women empowerment as cardinal focus of his activities, noting that such action remained key to strengthen inclusion.
She said the Office of the SDGs in the presidency had facilitated rehabilitation of more than 10 schools and four healthcare projects in the district.
Inaugural football match was played on the pitch between Tokunbo Abiru Football Club and and Epe Alaro United.
