Revisiting Sen Adeola’s Landmark Achievements In One Year At The Red Chamber

                                                                                                                                                                                Taking into  cognizance Senator Adeola Olamilekan Solomon [Yayi] represents the largest senatorial district in terms of population in Nigeria making up over half of the mega city of Lagos of over 20 million people and bigger than many states in Nigeria in terms of population the Senator is nevertheless fulfilling his mandate for effective representation gallantly as there is no special allowance of any sort for this lopsidedness in population size of the senatorial district. What is due to the district with over 11 million persons is the same that is given to others with less than half of our population. However, here are some of his major achievement as made available by his media office led by Chief Kayode Odunaro, his Special Adviser, Media.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Entrepreneur Development Training Programme on February 17 to 19, 2016 for 200 youths of Lagos West. The programme was facilitated and co-sponsored by Senator Adeola with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, and Abilele Industry Ltd.

2. Co-Sponsor of the Motion on the Fuel Tanker Accident at Alimosho in June, 2015.

3. Co-Sponsored the Bill Against Sexual Harassment of female student in Tertiary Institutions.

4. Opposed the now dead Social Media Bill that wanted to criminalize use of social media under the guise of curbing frivolous petitions 

5. And in furtherance of his belief that we have enough laws that are not operational or needs to be amended to bring them up to date or correct anomalies in them, instead of making new laws, he has presented a bill “Federal Capital Territory Act Cap F6, LFN (Amendment) Bill, 2015” to correct the anomaly of double taxation affecting Nigerians in the Federal Capital Territory. The bill, which is among over 225 bills already presented to the 8th Senate has passed it first reading stage in plenary.

6. He also has a motion awaiting listing and debate on the “Legality and Management of Public Funds to Promote the Export of Cassava from Nigeria”. This motion seeks to address the illegal use of fund and the criminalization of the export of cassava in our law book. 

7. So far he has successfully presented two petitions to the Senate. To the Glory of God, one of the petitions has been fully resolved in a case of injustice against one constituent Sgt. Amos Olaniyan. He was verbally suspended from the Nigerian Police Force 21 years ago for an offence that a Police Orderly Room trial has since exonerated him. The Senate has adopted the report of its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Petition and its Resolution ordered the IGP to apologize, reinstate, promote and pay Sgt. Olaniyan all salaries and allowances due him. He has since been reinstated and is processing his papers for payment of salaries from 1994 to 2015. With the reinstatement, he was retired and is due to collect gratuities and pension. 

8. He has assisted at least 50 person with health challenges with sums ranging from N20,000: 00 to N200,000:00.

9. At the general level of participation in debates, he contributed to the debate on the Legislative Agenda of the 8th Senate when the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Legislative Agenda of the 8th Senate was debated. In my contribution I had raised the issues of effective operation of the National Assembly Budget and Research Office, NABRO, which will greatly assist in passage of Appropriation Act (Budgets) as well as assist in the oversight function of the legislature. My position is that the “power of the purse” of the legislature in relation to the Executive must be strengthened to promote good governance as the yearly Appropriation Act is the road map for good governance or mis-governance. 

10. Furthermore, he contributed and fully represented Lagos West Senatorial District in the confirmation of ministers for the Federal Government, the chairman of FIRS, Mr. Babatunde Fowler who is one of our own, the heads of NCC, AMCON and in the deliberation to approve the 2016 Appropriation Bill tagged “Budget of Change”.

11. He also contributed to the debate and was part of the Senate team that visited Lagos State in furtherance of approval of a Second Tranche of $200 million out of a $600 million World Bank loan for infrastructure development in Lagos State. The Senate and the Federal Executive Council have since approved the loan for Lagos State Government.

12. As it is his practice as a representatives’ over the years he has continued his goodwill gesture to reach out to our leaders and members as well as other critical stakeholders in the senatorial district during festive periods to the best of my ability and of the resources available to me. So far, he has continue to felicitates with his constituents during “Itunu Awe” (Muslim Fasting), Ileya, and the Yuletide of Christmas and New Year. 

13. He mobilized and paid for the Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB, examination for 500 indigent but brilliant students for this year university admission programme. The format adopted in terms of pre-qualification tests was to ensure that a high success rate is achieved in this educational empowerment for our constituent youths. 

14. He granted 56 tertiary institution scholarships of N50,000 at the rate of 2 in each of the 28 LCDAs of Lagos West. The scholarship is to run for 4 years.

15. Made presentation to the Senate AdHoc Committee on Dilapidated Roads in respect of Lagos West.

16. He donated 10 Nos of 500KVA transformers for the following communities in Lagos West: 

1. Dorcas Boyo, Ijanikin in Ojo,

2. Obawole in Ifako-Ijaiye, 

3. Samco Mustapha, Akinbode Railway line Community in Mushin, 

4. Ojo Road Alao Lateef Ligali Bus Stop in Ajeromi Ifelodun,

5. Jibowu Street, off Ota Road in Agege, 

6. Inisa/Ilufe Community, Ilogbo Eremi in Badagry, 

7. Ondo Street, Off Princess Abiola, Idimu in Alimosho.

8. Krist Oladuni by Oshungbesan Street Junction, Ejigbo.

9. Palace of Alamuwo of Kuje, Amuwo 

10. Onipetesi Community, Ikeja

17. The Senator is sinking 28 Boreholes at the rate of 1 in each of the 28 LCDAs 

18. He empowered 50 Market Women with a grant of N20, 000 each at the rate of 5 per LGA while 50 Aged persons will get similar benefit across the district. 

19. 50 widows were given empowerment of freezers and products. 

20. Other empowerment of the Senator includes 300 Grinding Machines at 30 per LGA, 380 Sewing Machines at 38 per LGA, 150 2KVA Generators at the rate of 15 per LGA, 120 Hair Dryers with stands at 12 per LGA, 250 Hand Held Dryers at the rate of 25 per LGA, 250 Clippers at 25 per LGA, 500 Helmets at 50 per LGA, 44 wheelchairs at 4 per LGA, and 500 Lifejackets for Distribution to riverine LGAs, 

21. He also empowered constituents with 40 Modern Vulcanizing Machines at 4 per LGA, 20 Welding Machines at 2 per LGA, 10 Tricycle at 1 per LGA and 5 Block Molding Machines.

22. The Senator also donated 5 18 Seater Bus to Lagos West Senatorial District Obas, the Council of Baales Lagos West Senatorial District, the CDC , the Christain Association of Nigeria, and the League of Imams.

Following the constitution of the Senate Standing Committee, he was made the Vice Chairman of the Senate Communications Committee while also serving as a member of the Senate Committees on Banking, Science and Technology, Interior, Finance and Marine. In all these committees, he was bringing his wealth of legislative experience to bear on making sure that the people get the best in terms of law making, oversight and representation.