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Tag: Gbenga Ashafa

  • Ashafa bags PAFIR award

    Ashafa bags PAFIR award

     In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s housing sector, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, the immediate past Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), has been honoured with the prestigious Pinnacle Awards for Finance, ICT and Real Estate (PAFIR Awards) at a grand ceremony held at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

    The award celebrates Ashafa’s transformative leadership at the FHA, where he successfully championed sustainable housing initiatives and catalysed significant developments across the country’s housing sector.

    During his tenure, the FHA witnessed remarkable growth in housing delivery and implemented innovative approaches to sustainable urban development.

    Read Also: Oba of Benin disowns planned Igue festival in Lagos

    In his acceptance speech, the erstwhile lawmaker dedicated the award to his team at FHA and emphasised the collaborative effort that made these achievements possible. “This recognition reflects the collective dedication of the entire FHA family and our partners in both public and private sectors. Together, we have worked tirelessly to make decent housing more accessible to Nigerians,” Ashafa remarked.

    Additionally, Senator Ashafa commended President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope housing agenda, stating that it will not only provide shelter for many Nigerians, but it will stimulate economic activities and create jobs for thousands of young people across the country, even as he seized the occasion to advocate for continued investment in sustainable housing solutions and greater public-private partnerships in the sector.

  • ‘Kaoli Olusanya didn’t work against Ikorodu interest’

    The media team of Hon. Bayo Osinowo, the senatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) in Lagos East senatorial district, has debunked insinuations vice chairman of the party in the district, Ashipa Kaoli Olusanya, worked against the interest of Ikorodu division during the primary election that produced him as the party’s flag-bearer in the district.

    In a statement on Monday, Osinowo urged the good people of Lagos East to ignore what he called “a fresh attempt to divide us.”

    The statement read in parts: “Those peddling this fake and discordant news are falsely hinging their claims on a statement allegedly made by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader of our party, while explaining how some APC candidates emerged.

    “While it is very correct that Asiwaju said Asipa Kaoli led some party leaders to him to inform him of their preference for Hon. Bayo Osinowo (Pepper) to become the next Senator of Lagos East senatorial district; they were obviously not exclusively from Ikorodu but from the generality of Lagos East.

    “A look at the leaders who visited Asiwaju on this mission will explain the truth as it is – Asipa Kaoli was not the leader of the delegation, nor were they all from Ikorodu as those spinning and twisting Asiwaju’s statement want the people of Ikorodu to erroneously believe.”

    Reeling out the names of APC leaders from the district that visited Asiwaju, Osinowo said: “It is mischievous for anybody to refer to the delegation as being from Ikorodu.

    Read Also: Lagos cautions Ikorodu residents

    “While it is true that Asiwaju mentioned Asipa Kaoli Olusanya’s name, he obviously did in recognition of his position as the Vice Chairman and leader of the party in the district; not as the leader of that high power delegation.

    “Secondly, the team that visited Asiwaju was neither from nor for Ikorodu. The delegation was from, and for the entire district, represented by members of its Apex leadership.

    “It is instructive to say here that APC leaders from Ibeju Lekki, where distinguished Senator Gbenga Ashafa hails from, were on the delegation.

    “Thus, the move was not in any way, a betrayal of Ikorodu by Asipa Kaoli Olusanya and others from the division. Rather, it was in the discharge of their duty as party leaders.”

    Explaining further, he added: “One may also want to add that the visit, as can be inferred from Asiwaju’s statement, was made after all the leaders have pushed and fought for interests and aspirants from their various constituencies.

    “But when a majority opinion emerged and surpassed all others, the leaders, as true democrats that they are, submitted to the interest of the party and supported Bayo Osinowo’s ambition.

    “It is noteworthy to say here that Ikorodu had benefited from similar gestures by other leaders in the district when they unanimously endorsed Asipa Kaoli as the state Vice Chairman from the district, among many other aspirants across the district. In politics, for any division to thrive in any political permutation or calculation, the collaboration and cooperation of other divisions are required.

    “It is therefore important for us as a people to be wary of those seeking to divide us by pitching one division against its revered sons and daughters, as well as fanning the embers of hate among the constituencies in Lagos East.

    “In essence, it behoves of all forward looking Ikorodu indigenes and residents, and in fact, all the great people of Lagos East senatorial District, to push the candidacy of Osinowo (Pepper) to fruition by recording unprecedented massive votes for him and thus, have a moral and logical claim to other prominent positions that will be up for sharing in the aftermath of these elections. Like we all know, for any division to excel politically, it has to give and take.

    “Without doubt, it is in the interest of everybody for us to team up with broad minded, analytical and empirical leaders, rather than succumbing to the parochial tenets of individualism and political mercantilism.

    “As we remain unshaken in our resolve to vote for APC all the way in this election, let us once again regard the insinuations going around as clear attempts to break our ranks.

    “We should resist such and continue to rally round Asipa Kaoli Olusanya and others as reliable leaders and ambassadors of Ikorodu division. What is more? Let us go all out on Saturday to vote for President Muhammad Buhari as President, Hon. Bayo Osinowo – Pepper, as Senator and of course all our credible and capable candidates for the  House of Representatives across the district.”

  • Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail will create additional 7000 jobs – Ashafa

    Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail will create additional 7000 jobs – Ashafa

    Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, Chairman Senate Committee on Land Transport has said that the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway line would create additional 7000 jobs for the teeming youths.

    Ashafa said on Monday during the oversight visit paid to the Nigerian Railway Corporation NRC by both Committee on Land Transport and the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

    “We are confident that the Lagos to Kano and Calabar to Lagos railway modernisation projects would in no small way reinvigorate Nigeria’s economy through creation of about 7000 jobs.

    “On our part as senators holding the mandate of our constituents, we are totally committed to  assisting the executive arm in the actualisation of every developmental project within our purview,” Ashafa said.

    The senator said that the visit was to assist the committee on Local and Foreign Debt assess the project implementation plan for the recently approved loan request by the Federal Government from the China Exim Bank.

    According to him, the loan is to be accessed for the purpose of completing various railway rehabilitation and construction projects across  the country.

    “The focus of this visit is to immediately set in perspective of our commitment to ensuring a high level of accountability in public expenditure.

    “As such, the bulk of this joint committee’s work lies particularly in the areas that concern activities of the Ministry of Transport and all relevant stakeholders in the expenditure of the loan.

    “As requested, the sum of 5.851 billion dollars being the total approved loan would be expended on modernisation of Lagos to Kano, Lagos to Ibadan and Calabar to Lagos segments,” he said.

    Sen. Shehu Sani, Chairman committee on local and foreign debts in his contribution said that both committee were signals to the seriousness attached to the commencement and successful completion of the rail projects.

    Sani said that the  project was in the 2016-2018 External Borrowing (Rolling) plan recently approved by the senate.

    According to him, the potential of the rail projects was to fast track the nation’s economic growth, provision of gainful employment to teeming youths and overall development of the country.

    “The senate while approving the borrowing plan as it concerns the rail mandated its relevant committees to ensure a thorough oversight of the actual implementation of the projects for which the country was borrowing.

    “Obviously, this is to guarantee effective and efficient utilisation of every kobo taken as loan by the federal government on behalf of Nigerian citizens.

    “Therefore, this visit is one step in the fulfilment of that mandate and the public trust we owe Nigerian citizens,” he said.

    Mr Leo Yin, the Project Cordinator, Chinese Civil Engineer Construction Company (CCECC), said the major challenge facing the project presently was the recent continuous rainfall.

    Yin said that plans have been put in place by the company to deliver and hand over the project at the appointed time.

    He however, appealed to the communities in the affected areas to cooperate witwith the workers for speedy execution of the project.

    NAN reports that the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Ameachi, had said that Federal Government would ensure the completion of the ongoing Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail services by Dec. 2018.

    Ameachi gave the assurance on Monday July 10, in Lagos while inspecting the ongoing rail projects at Ijoko community area of Ogun State.

    The minister said that the Federal Government was making all efforts to ensure the completion of the project as scheduled.

  • PDP lose appeal against Ashafa’s victory

    PDP lose appeal against Ashafa’s victory

    The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, Friday, dismissed an appeal on the matter brought by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mrs. Salis Ayodele against the law maker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa and his party, the All Progressives Congress.

    The victory follows the July 27 dismissal of the election petition filed by the PDP and its candidate in the National Assembly elections earlier this year.

    The decision to file an appeal challenging the verdict of the Justice C.U Anwukah-led tribunal was taken by the PDP candidate, Salis Ayodele and her party immediately after the July 27 dismissal. The Court of Appeal is the highest level a National Assembly election petition can go.

    In its case at the Court of Appeal, Salis Ayodele and the PDP had alleged that the judgment of the lower tribunal was erroneous on the grounds that the tribunal erred on many issues in arriving at the decision to dismiss the petition. The PDP also questioned the qualification of the chairman of the tribunal stating that he was not qualified to sit on the case.

    In the final judgement read yesterday by Muhammad Danjuma (JCA), the judgment dismissed the appeal and stated that there was no evidence presented to show cause and prove that the tribunal chairman was not qualified to hold the office.

    Counsel for the PDP and Salis Ayodele, Barr. Oladayo Odunde in his remarks after the judgement was read said “the judgement is a victory for the judiciary no matter the outcome.”

    In his own remarks after the victorious judgment, Senator Ashafa said: “The time for politicking has gone and all contenders should sheath their swords. In the spirit of democracy, I extend a hand of friendship to the PDP in Lagos East. Let us work together for the development of our dear state.”

  • Gbenga Ashafa at 60: A classified citation

    Gbenga Ashafa at 60: A classified citation

    Politics is an attraction to all and sundry. The ingrates. The opportunists. The betrayers. The fifth columnists. The good, the bad and the ugly. The intrigues involved in this game have dissuaded a lot of people from plunging into the murky water of politics. The dirty ones play it dirty to frighten the righteous and the meek. But it was not long to discover that it was a strategic ploy by the crooks of power to be predominant in the political scene in order to reduce the number of people that will contend with them in the sharing of the spoils of power. In the Second Republic, the entire political space stank of filth and decay, forcing people to conclude that the whole of Nigeria was a colony of brigands and plunderers. The entire space was crowded with rogues and robbers in power; stealing, pilfering, fliching, purloining, robbing and thieving everything in sight like the marauders of the sub-sahara. The Second Republic was simply a Republic of rogues, by rogues and for rogues. Little wonder, the Buhari-Idiagbon military regime came with the anger of Christ, lashing and whipping the crooks from the temple of rot. The history of the Second Republic was a tragic narrative of a nation under siege by bandits of lust.

    While all this was going on, the good ones in our midst no longer felt comfortable with their spectator-status. As citizens of this country, they felt it was their responsibility to prevent total systemic breakdown because the rate at which the brigands were going, they may end up breaking the country into crumbs.

    The Second Republic scenario was re-enacted by the PDP (a party that conjured a tragic image and imagery of the National Party of Nigeria, NPN) the official cell of the plundering terrorists. Ironically, the opposition that was contending power with the PDP came with a messianic spirit, parading itself as a forgiving saviour willing to assist the plunderers to sweep their vomit and clean the temple without any flogging, lashing and whipping.

    In this cleansing crusade, the good men, (or should we call them the service men?) of the new movement are led by Muhammadu Buhari, Yemi Osinbajo, Bola Tinubu, Audu Ogbeh, Bisi Akande, Ogbonnaya Onu, John-Odigie Oyegun, Sola Adeyeye, Gbenga Ashafa and a host of others. However, today, I want to celebrate Gbenga Ashafa who turns 60 this July.

    Ashafa, a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is not your usual conventional Nigerian politician. Undoubtedly, the Nigerian politician is rakish, crooked, greedy and raffish. The typical Nigerian politician is all evils rolled into one. Ashafa’s kind of politics is the type that has motivation and inspiration. The motivation to govern, the inspiration to work. The motivation to serve and the inspiration to help. The motivation to lift the poor in spirit and the inspiration to tell the rich the truth. A man with such creed can hardly derail from the philosophy of his intervention. Ashafa is focused. He is determined. He is passionate. He is humane. He is gentle, cool-headed, tranquil, humble and prognostic. These days when politics seems to be declining in value, a man like Ashafa is blurbed in piety.

    Politics is about the people, the society and its development. At 60, Senator Gbenga Ashafa can satisfactorily say to himself that he is fulfilled in every aspect relating to the elevation of decadent humanity. If it is about the people, Ashafa who is the second child of a commodity merchant named Lawal Kakanfo Ashafa and Tesmot Ojuolape Elemoro has indeed touched lives across the Nigerian space. Those who are close to him, those who are far from him, those who know him, those who have an idea of him, those who work for him, those who work with him are potentate beneficiaries of Ashafa’s garden of plenitude. Patently, his dramatic transition from public service to politics was aided by the returns on his investment in human development in particular and qualitative humanity in general. His acceptability and sudden rise to fame in politics was not a product of any opportunistic adventurism but a reward for productive antecedents. Contrary to general supposition, Ashafa’s liberality was not inspired by any profile of genetic poverty. He was born into the royal house of Elemoro, the progenitors of the Elemoro family in Ibejuland in Lagos State. Ashafa’s nobleness and his percipient instincts are endowments conferred on men who have the grace to be humble in giving. Agreed that handouts are in the “giving of fish” category, the rich and the politicians in this under-developed society can hardly avoid constant encounters with the army of boys in the areas who throng their mansions for relieving nickel and dime. Even at that, Ashafa has not excluded his society from his scheme of gifts.

    As a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing the Lagos East for the second time since 2011, Ashafa can boast of about 101 constituency projects such as sinking of boreholes in 36 locations, provision of transformers in about 41 locations, building of three classroom blocks in 11 locations and erecting street lights in 31 locations. Some of his projects also include the provision of ambulance points, construction of drainages and science laboratories, renovation of economic centre, dredging and establishment of skill acquisition centre with numerous sewing machines and other useful equipment.

    A man who has an agenda for national intervention does not need to grope for long before he finds his bearing in politics. In his first term in the Senate, Gbenga Ashafa, who succeeded Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora after an in-house strategic re-positioning by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leadership, became the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development. His appointment into this position was not by happenstance. Before he went into politics, Ashafa was appointed by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Land Use and Allocation Committee in January 2001. It was while he was in this office that he learnt about the politics, dynamics, intrigues and the dramatics of Land issues and management. Not quite long after this appointment, precisely February 2005, he was made the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Lands Bureau. By the time he was leaving, he had led his team to execute the computerization of documents in the state Land Registry, the creation of the Land Regularization Directorate and the implementation of the 30-day Governor’s Consent Policy on land transactions. This revolutionary innovation in land management led to the creation of a digital database of all land title documents in the state, making it infinitely more efficient to conduct land transactions in Lagos State. In addition, Ashafa laid the foundation for issuing electronic Certificates of Occupancy to land owners. It was Ashafa who restarted several stalled housing development schemes such as Lekki Phase 1, Ijanikin Rose Garden, Ipaja New Town, Imota Residential/Industrial, Agbowa Residential/Industrial, Obanikoro/Oke Ira, Oworonshoki Residential, Gbagada 1 and Ibeju Berekodo Mixed Development schemes. He also led his team to develop new housing schemes such as Ikorodu GRA scheme III, Odo-Nla, Ijede GRA and Millenium Model scheme Igbogbo-Ikorodu.

    Therefore, appointing him as the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development was not a favour or a kind of political gratification. It was simply a case of the senate leadership identifying a man of potential and cognate understanding of the responsibilities attached to the oversight functions of the committee.

    The National Assembly, notwithstanding the “distinguished” appellation attached to every Senator, still has some funny characters.  The Senate for instance, consists of 108 members, but just a fraction of these numbers can be said to be active. We have absentee Senators, sleeping Senators, anonymous Senators, observing senators, redundant senators and “Bill-less” Senators. The “Bill-less” senators seem to be more than all other ones put together. The Bill-less senators are senators with little or no national value resulting from their inability to sponsor a single bill throughout their tenure or tenures in the senate. I cannot understand why a man who claims to be representing his people, his state or his nation will be in the senate for four or eight years without sponsoring a single bill. With the heap of national problems overwhelming the nation, how come that a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will pass through the Senate without raising any national issue for discourse or resolution. The senate should not be an Assembly for inadequate politicians who indulge in convenient anonymity and still draw huge salaries and allowances for routine inefficiency.

    This is where Senator Ashafa is different. It is on record that between 2011 and now, a period of less than five years; Ashafa has sponsored 12 bills in the Senate. Some of these bills include but not limited to the following: Income tax holiday bill (2011), National Agency for the preservation and promotion of Local Language in Nigeria Bill (2011), Treaties (making, procedures, etc) Act (Amendment) Bill (2012), Criminal Code Act (Amendment) Bill (2012), National Directorate of Employment Act (amendment) Bill (2013) and Harmful Waste (Special Criminal Provisions, etc) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2013. Others are, Value Added Tax (amendment) Bill (2013), Mineral and Mining Act (Amendment) bill, 2013, Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act (Amendment) Bill, 2014, Banks and other Financial Institutions Act (Amendment) Bill (2014), Advertising Practitioners (Registration, etc) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and of course, the Bank Employees etc. Declaration of Assets Act (Amendment) Bill (2014).

    Ashafa, a grandfather par excellence, married to Folashade Omobola since 1979, is an easy-going, amiable, caring, and loving family man. His love for his family is beyond human comprehension. He has awesome capacity for creating cohesion, tranquility, harmony, fraternal bonding among diverse humanity.

    In explaining the Ashafa phenomenon, it is only natural to conceptualize this man of honour as an enigmatic individual with prodigious and transcendental energies to dissipate into family management, community development and nation-building. Anything short of this will be insufficient to capture the essentials of a man that is being processed for history.

    –Dr. Thomas teaches history and international studies at the Lagos State University (LASU)

  • ‘Emulate Christ’

    The senator representing Lagos East, Gbenga Ashafa, has called on Christians to emulate the sacrifice, love and selflessness of Jesus Christ.

    Ashafa, in his Easter message, said:  “The lessons of Easter, which reflected on the excruciating experiences of Jesus Christ and His eventual triumph over death, should never be lost on us.

    “I enjoin Christians to emulate Jesus Christ as a good and an exemplary leader without which there will not be Easter today.

    “In this sober period, everyone, regardless of religion, should be his brother’s keeper, this is the only way peace can reign.”

  • Ashafa, Adeola win Lagos APC senatorial tickets

    Ashafa, Adeola win Lagos APC senatorial tickets

    THE Senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Gbenga Ashafa, has clinched the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) senatorial ticket.

    He won at the primary held at the Lagos State Government Chalets in Epe. From a total of 1,560 accredited voters, the lawmaker won 1,268 valid votes.  The chairman of the electoral team, Tayo Orekoya, who announced the results, said a total of 1,560 voters were accredited and 1,310 votes were casted. He added that 1,278 valid votes were counted and 32 invalid votes recorded.

    The senator, who was unopposed at the primary, was overwhelmed by the victory.

    Addressing the delegates and other party members, he said: “I am overwhelmed by your gesture and accept your mandate to return me as our party’s flagbearer to represent Lagos East at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.”

    Also, the House of Representatives’ Committee Chairman, Public Accounts, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, has been elected as the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) candidate for Lagos West Senatorial District.

    In the primary conducted for four aspirants at Agege Stadium, the Alimosho Federal Constituency representative scored 4,287 votes to defeat former Minister Demola Seriki, who came a distance second with 247 votes while Mr. Enoch Ajiboso garnered 149 votes. Mr. Samuel Whesu came last with 78 votes.

    The chairman of the electoral panel, Mr. Alabi Mactfoy, who announced the results, said 5,399 voters were accredited.

    He noted that 4,864 votes were casted with 4,671 valid votes recorded, adding that 103 votes were voided.

    Before the primary, the Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulure; Mrs. Kemi Obasa and Mr. Kamal Bayewu stepped down from the race.

    In his acceptance speech after being declared winner, Adeola praised the APC and its officials for practicing true and genuine internal democracy through the organisation of peaceful and transparent primaries for elective positions.

  • ‘Sanitation, best way to prevent disease’

    ‘Sanitation, best way to prevent disease’

    Senator Gbenga Ashafa has implored Lagosians to join hands with Governor Babatunde Fashola in making the state free of Ebola and other diseases.

    Ashafa, who represents Lagos East District in the Senate, said he joined Ikorodu residents in the monthly environmental sanitation last Saturday to spread the gospel of cleanliness.

    God, he said, is not found in a dirty environment.

    The lawmaker, sporting a white polo shirt, a pair of black trousers and cap, moved round major roads and streets with staff of his constituency office to call out residents for the exercise.

    He joined them to remove waste from the drain and pack refuse on the road.

    Sweeping materials, such as packers, brooms and waste bags were given to the residents.

    At Isawo Road, Agric and Owutu,  residents trooped out to join him in cleaning up their areas.

    He said: “I must commend the youth for turning out for the sanitation instead of playing street football. We want people to live a healthy life. To achieve this, we must always come out for the exercise and make our environment free of dirt. This is the best way we can live and prosper together.

    “For us in the All Progressives Congress (APC), people’s welfare is paramount. We don’t want any deadly disease to break in our state. As we are removing these dirty materials from our environment, we are also preventing malaria, typhoid and other life-threatening diseases in our neighbourhood. This is why we must always come out for the exercise.”

    Residents hailed the lawmaker for giving them sweeping materials, adding that he showed that he has not forgotten his constituents by joining them to clean their environment, it shows that he had not forgotten them.

  • Joy as lawmaker empowers constituents

    Joy as lawmaker empowers constituents

    Over 1000 loyalists of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been empowered at a Mega Empowerment Programme powered by the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, ýSenator ‘Gbenga Ashafa.

    The event, which took place at the Iberekodo Primary School, Ibeju-Lekki, drew beneficiaries from across the 11 wards in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government area and Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

    Among the items distributed to the beneficiaries were: deep freezers, vulcanizing machines, hair dryers, barbing kits, power-generating sets and sewing machines. Financial grants were also offered 500 women members.

    Ashafa said the gesture was aimed at reducing unemployment in the society, adding: “Before now, we have done a general empowerment programme throughout the five council areas and 11 LCDAs across the district. At Epe and Eredo on March 8, 2013, over 300 women benefited. We have put place a weekly empowerment programme since March, last year, where men, women, youths and various associations received business tools and equipment.

    “This is our own effort to ensure that unemployment is considerably reduced by discouraging our people from seeking white-collar jobs that are visibly unavailable. If every individual can rely on his skills rather than certificates, unemployment will reduce in the society.”

    He added: “Our weekly empowerment programme is just one of the numerous initiatives we have implemented since 2011. Till date, we have successfully executed 76 constituency projects across the district. Some of these projects include:30 boreholes, 11classroom blocks, two drainage channels, four ambulance points;  22 transformers, three street lamps on arterial roads, one skill acquisition centre and one science laboratory.”

    Advising the beneficiaries, Ashafa said: ”It will be a thing of joy to see all the beneficiaries doing well with these empowerment tools within a few months from now. Our monitoring team will visit the beneficiaries to ascertain how they have utilised the tools and devise a way of assisting them in the event of any challenge.”

    The chairman, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Hon Kemi Surakat, APC chieftains and traditional rulers from the area, described the initiative as laudable.

    A beneficiary, Miss Adebayo Aminat, said: “I am more than glad at the moment. I wasn’t expecting this at all; now I can go to any length to announce that the All Progressives Party is the true party that can bring the dividends of democracy ýto the common man in the street. I pray that God Almighty will continue to enrich Senator Ashafa for doing this for us”.

    Mr Hassan Sodiq, who had been hiring his vulcanizing tool to survive on a daily basis, showered encomiums on the lawmaker.

  • Lawmaker donates motorised borehole

    Lawmaker donates motorised borehole

    esidents of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Estate in Odo Nla, a sprawling town in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos, were filled with joy when a water project was commissioned for their use last weekend.

    They showered praises on the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Gbenga Ashafa, who donated the motorised borehole.

    Excited youths in the community led the senator to the site, singing and dancing. They described the project as first of its kind in the area, praising Ashafa for responding to their yearning.

    The chairman of the estate’s Development Commission, Mr Adesesan Adekoya, said the community would forever remember the lawmaker for the borehole, noting that it would solve water crisis in the area.

    Adekoya, who noted that it was second project Ashafa would commission in the community, urged the senator to also empower their educated youths. He urged other lawmakers representing the area in the state and National Assembly to emulate Ashafa and deliver dividends of democracy to the electorate.

    Ashafa, who said providing potable water and improving access to it remained his cardinal agenda, stressed that he was committed to improving the welfare of communities in his district through the provision of vital facilities and social infrastructure.

    “The residents of Bola Tinubu Estate should know that a high sense of community participation in these social interventions is a prerequisite for sustainability. I urge them to ensure that the borehole is well-maintained to serve the greater number of the people,” he said.

    The lawmaker promised to site more welfare projects in the community, saying he would engage its youths in the contract for the projects. He asked for the list of jobless youths in the estate for immediate empowerment.

    Ashafa also sensitises the residents on hygiene and how to stop the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). He distributed packs of hand sanitisers to the residents, urging them to report strange illness to appropriate authorities.