It was demands, requests, commendations and in some instances admonition for members of the Lagos state House of Assembly at the second edition of the constituency stake holders meeting organised by the Assembly which held simultaneously in the 40 state constituencies across Lagos on Wednesday.
The demands included, rehabilitation of roads, construction and clearing of drainages, provision of more schools and markets, provision of employment and empowerment for women and youths, provision of potable water and general infrastructure.
The theme of this year’s stakeholders meeting was: ‘Community/Neighbourhood policing starts with you’.
Speaking to his constituents at Agege 1constituency, Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa urged Lagosians, particularly the people of Agege, to take good care of government projects in their communities so that they can enjoy their benefits for long period of time.
According to Obasa, the government at all levels particularly in Lagos State is trying its best to ensure that all communities are evenly developed and to ensure that the people enjoy dividends of democracy even at their doorsteps.
“However while the government is doing all this, the onus lies on our people to ensure that they take proper care of these projects and ensure that they are properly maintained for them to last long,” the Speaker said.
He stated further that the projects executed by government at different communities are meant for the benefit of the people particularly those residing in the benefiting communities.
Giving account of his stewardship in the last one year to the people of his constituency, Obasa stated that six major roads have been constructed in Agege and five others are ongoing. “Apart from these, there is ongoing Abule Egba and Pen Cinema fly over bridges as well pedestrian bridges at Cement bus stop, Dopemu under bridge and Iyana Ipaja all ongoing,” he said.
At the Teachers’ Establisment Pension Office hall in Ikorodu West LCDA, where the Majority Leader of the House, Honourable S.O.B Agunbiade hosted the people of Ikorodu constituency 1, it was a similar scenario as, residents, after acknowledging the lawmaker as a very efficient representative, called on the government to do more in terms of infrastructural development of the towns and villages within the area.
Speaking during the meeting, Agunbiade urged the people to always collaborate with the government in ensuring the proper policing of their communities. While recalling the ugly incidents of attacks and kidnaps in the area recently, he emphasized the need for all hands to be on deck in ensuring community policing.
Expectedly, demands ranging from rehabilitation of more roads, electrification, public health facilities, construction of drainages, youth employment, building of more schools and police station, as well as the need to care for the aged, topped the list of what the constituents are expecting from the government of the state.
Speaking on the bill against land grabbing recently signed into law in they state, Agunbiade said it will eradicate hardship usually experienced by residents of Ikorodu in the hands of land grabbers. He urged the people of the constituency to take advantage of the new law whenever they are being molested by landgrabbers.
“I believe this feedback is an integral part of practical representation. To live and interact with the people on a daily basis and to be able to tell the people what went down at the hallow chambers,” he said.
Also at Ojodu LCDA where the Ikeja constituency 2 meeting took place , Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu who represents the constituency assured his constituents of his continuous effort to better their lives and address areas of challenges in the constituency.
While responding to questions from his people, Kasunmu said he facilitated the construction of the Berger Oke pedestrian bridge to save lives, provision of job for some youths and rehabilitation of two rural roads in his constituency which has since been commissioned and he promised to do more for his constituency and constituents.
The constituents amongst other things demanded for rehabilitation of more roads, construction of drainages, more empowerment for youths and women, employment for the teeming unemployed and desired for more interaction with him.
“I wish to state that it is our determination to give meaning to good representation and good governance that we have come again with this second edition of the constituency stakeholders meeting….as their can never be any meaningful progress or development without consultation with the people who are the benefactors of our mandate.
“We cherish your mandate so much that we have resolved to engage you always to evaluate our performance as your representatives and how best we can collaborate to ensure the impact of government is felt at all levels”, the lawmaker said.
At the Lagos Mainland constituency 1, held in Yaba, the residents asked representatives at the various legislatures across the country to commence move that would result in the establishment of state police. They told their representatives at the House of Assembly, Hon. Moshood Oshun, to liaise with his colleagues to ensure the issue of state police is championed.
The leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area and chieftain of the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Olawale Oshun, noted that in many other countries of the world, there are various stages of policing. Adding that Nigeria had local government and regional police before the 1966 coup.
Speaking on the theme of the meeting, Oshun, who chairs the committee on public accounts at the state House of Assembly, lamented the increasing number of cases of rape and incest. Adding that crime rate, including kidnapping, was on the increase because people no longer care about their neighbours or correct children where the latter go wrong.
He recalled his growing up days and how neighbours monitored his activities while his parents were away from home adding that this practice must be returned for the country to become safe again.
He agreed that the country was ripe for state police noting that in the UK, there are various types of police. He also admonished residents to act as community police informing the police where they suspect any criminal.
He reminded the residents to always send their demands and suggestions to his two constituency offices in the area promising that such demands would always be acted upon.
At the event, the lawmaker also honoured two elders, a 96-year-old man, and an octogenarian woman with an undisclosed amount. One of the best students in the constituency also got cash gift from him.
At Alimosho constituency 1, their representative, Hon. Bisi Yusuf appealed to his constituents to take serious the issue of security, saying individuals must be ready to co-operate with security agencies to engender effective policing.
The lawmaker who was addressing his constituents at Togapeph Hotels, Ipaja stated that “for security to be adequately enhanced people must be ready to co-operate. It is the responsibility of you and me to take charge when it comes to the issue of security.”
Responding to the request for government to provide more schools in Alimosho, the lawmaker said “I want to implore you the traditional rulers, if you provide land, I will facilitate the provision of schools.”
While addressing newsmen at the event, Yusuff, who is the Chairman House committee on Public Accounts (local) said, “the meeting is significant because government will be providing what people actually want rather than what government thinks.”
He added that, “It was quite a successful outing, you’ve seen it yourself and listen to demands of the people. That is why I commend the leadership of the House, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa for his foresight.
In Badagry Constituency 2 represented by Hon. David Setonji, the residents commended the Property Protection Law of the state government. His Royal Highness, Oniberepo of Iberepo, Oba Isreal Ade Okoya, Kingdom, commended the state House of Assembly for initiating the law. He advised the traditional leaders in the constituency to comply with the law in order not to face the wrath of law as he said that everybody is equal before the law.
He said further that the law will control the menace of the land grabbers, known as “Ajagungbale” and unlawful activities of the self acclaimed inhabitants of the land otherwise known as “Omoonile”.
At the meeting held at Mosafejo Town Hall in Olorunda Local Council Development Area(LCDA), Setonji emphasized the need for the people of the constituency to be more proactive on the issues concerning the security of the community as he said that the state government is being efficient in its efforts to secure lives and properties, which he said gave birth to the theme of the 2016 edition of the stakeholders meeting.
Some of the successes he credited to the assembly included ten Bills passed into law during the period which includes the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Law 2016 and Lagos Property Protection Law 2016, which he said are direct responses of the Lagos State House of Assembly to the security challenges in the state.
The representative of the state Governor at the stakeholders meeting and the Special Adviser to the Governor on the Environment, Hon. Tunde Humpe, enjoined traditional leaders, political leaders, and religious leaders to encourage their subjects and members to embrace peace as he said that the Lagos State Government is adopting various measures to ensure a peaceful co-existent amongst the residents of the state.
At the end of the comments and responses, Hon. Setonji David and other political leaders reassured the stakeholders that whatever information, suggestions and contributions gathered at the meeting would be implemented by the government in policy formulation and execution.
The stakeholders meeting across the 40 constituencies was attended by people from different spheres of life including Obas, Baales, Chiefs, notable political stakeholders in the constituency, representatives of market women, representatives of other major ethnics group in the constituency, religious leaders, youths representative, CDA and CDC members among others.
