The House of Representatives member representing Ado-Odo/Ota federal constituency, Engr Tunji Akinosi, on Tuesday, said that he has committed N700m to addressing the challenge of deplorable conditions of some schools in the constituency.
Akinosi said that the fund is from the N1bn zonal intervention fund approved for the lawmakers by President Bola Tinubu last December.
The lawmaker equally praised Tinubu for helping to raise the zonal intervention fund from N200m to N1bn as this has also helped to do so much for the people
Akinosi disclosed this at a stakeholders’ engagement held in Ota to interface with members of his constituency.
He explained that despite the interventions of both the federal and state governments to uplift the development of the constituency, its sheer size, when compared to other smaller constituencies, usually makes it look as if little is being done to enhance the socio-economic development of the constituency.
Akinosi said, “Though our job is to make law, we have what is called capital project inclusion, which is supposed to be our zonal intervention fund, which before now was N200m.
“However, in December 2024, we told our Oga, President Bola Tinubu, that with the fund accruing to the Federal Government after subsidy removal that the President should help to increase the Zonal intervention fund, and I am pleased to inform you that the money has been increased from N200m to N1bn.
“And aside from other needs of our people, we have equally gone round to find out that the starting point for our young ones, that is, our primary and secondary schools, are in dire need of assistance.
“Yes, there had been assistance from both the federal and the state government, but given the size of our federal constituency, which is more than the size of three constituencies altogether, there is still a lot of ground to cover.
“Unfortunately, it is the same amount of money collected by this small constituency that is also given to ours, which is bigger, and that is why we are still having challenges with our schools.
“However, from the N1bn we are being given, we have put N700m down for reconstruction and rehabilitation of our schools because expanding access to qualitative education to build a virile future for our youth is top on our minds”.
Akinosi highlighted that to have sponsored four bills, out of which is the bill to establish a Federal Medical Centre at Atan-Ota to address the shortage of health care facilities in the federal constituency
Speaking on his achievements in the last two years, Akinosi listed the construction of roads and renovation of schools, provision of financial grants ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 to over 2000 people, and empowerment of another 2000 with various trading tools, among others.
The lawmaker has equally urged Nigerians to keep faith with Tinubu, explaining that the economic reforms being pursued by the present administration are being done with the best of intentions and that very soon the country will begin to enjoy its sweet fruits.
Meanwhile, stakeholders during the panel session held during the engagement urged both the state and the federal government to grant special status to the federal constituency, as this would help to combat its worrying challenge of infrastructural deficit.
They lamented the deplorable roads, lack of adequate health facilities, among other basic amenities, saying that the development of the constituency has not reflected the fact that it is the highest revenue-generating region for the state government.
Speaking during the stakeholders’ engagement with the theme, “Expectations From Our Representatives” Barr Kelubia Ajose, the Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Ota, urged the political office holders to deliver on good governance because that was the primary reason they were elected.
Barr Ajose said that the federal constituency has little to show in terms of socio-economic development despite generating the highest revenue for the Ogun state government, urging the lawmaker to demand a special status for the federal constituency.
A psychologist and former Student Union leader of the University of Ibadan, Dr Tokunbo Salako, also lamented the poor state of the infrastructure in the federal constituency.
Salako equally said that the federal constituency, which is the proverbial hen laying the golden eggs, deserves more government support to make life more meaningful for the people.
The Olota of Otta kingdom, Oba Abdulkadir Obalanlege, while praising Akinosi for prioritising the delivery of his campaign promises, urged other political office holders to pursue service above self for a better nation.
