07/05/2023
My Dear Constituent,
I want to take this opportunity to share with you the progress made in fulfilling the responsibilities entrusted to me through your mandate. As your representative at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly (the Senate), it has been my privilege to serve you, and I am proud to report on the achievements we have accomplished together.
I have strived to provide effective and quality representation with integrity, passion, loyalty, and commitment, leveraging all the experience, competences, and relationships that I have garnered over three (3) decades as an economist, chartered accountant, banker, and CEO. In spite of the limitation of time and personal resources, I have in the last two (2) years as a Senator vigorously pursued the fulfilment of my mandate and the promises I made to you, my people, under three (3) broad pillars: Legislative, Empowerment, and Facilitation.
LEGISLATIVE PILLAR:
Under this pillar, I have sponsored about 12 bills and 4 motions, including the high-impact Copyright Bill 2021 (Repeal and Re-enactment), which has been passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and the Franchise Regulation Bill 2022, which has gone through a public hearing. I moved the motion to expedite the on-going rehabilitation of the Ikorodu-Shagamu road, and the effort I made led to the fast-tracking of the rehabilitation of the road from the 22% achievement it was in October 2021 to its current 80% completion.
FACILITATIONS PILLAR:
I have been able to facilitate the completion of the following projects for the benefit of my constituents:
EDUCATION:
1. Four blocks of 24 classrooms with furniture and 16 toilets at Aga Primary School in Ikorodu.
2. 200 solar-powered streetlights at the Ikorodu Campus of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH).
3. Two blocks of six classrooms at RCM Primary School, Iwerekun, Ibeju-Lekki.
4. One (1) block of 3 classrooms at Ajelogo Primary School.
5. ICT centre at the Igbobi College.
HEALTH
1. 40 Beds at the health facility at Mascara Health Centre in Agboyi-Ketu LCDA.
2. 40 Beds at the Health facility and Dental Centre at the Ikorodu Campus of the Lagos State University of Science & Technology (LASUSTECH).
3. 40 Beds at the Health facility at Isiu, Ikorodu North LCDA.
INFRASTRUCTURE
1. Built a 960-seat mini stadium equipped with a football pitch, basketball courts, and volleyball courts in Epe Local Government Area.
2. Remodelling of the popular ancient Oluwo Fish Market with 240 open stalls, 82 lock-up shops, 5 open floors, and 12 toilets in Epe Local Government Area.
3. Supply and installation of 18 transformers in different communities in the senatorial district.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
I have instituted the following economic programmes to improve the economic livelihood of my constituents:
1. Constituency Intervention Revolving Loan of N300,000 for the benefit of MSMEs at a single-digit interest rate of 6% per annum.
2. Capacity training for 1000 MSMEs in partnership with the FATE Foundation and the Standard Chartered Foundation.
3. Financial grant of N50, 000 each to 1,250 market women to support their businesses across the 16 LGAs/LCDAs in the district.
ENDOWMENT PILLAR:
Through my foundation, the Tokunbo Abiru Constituency Team (TACT) Foundation, I partnered with Co-creation Hub (Cc-HUB), a renowned innovation and technology and social capital enterprise company based in Lagos, to set up a Community Innovation Hub, known as the Senator Abiru Innovation Lab (SAIL), to train youths and entrepreneurs in the senatorial district on relevant digital and innovation skills that will improve and upgrade their skills and competencies to compete in the global age of technology and innovation. SAIL, the Innovation Lab, which is the first of its kind in Lagos East Senatorial District, currently runs the following five (5) pilot programmes:
Tech Talent Development is aimed at identifying young people who are interested in a technology-driven career.
Startup Acceleration for Businesses is for people who have business ideas that can be amplified with technology.
STEM Education for Senior Secondary School Students- a programme designed to introduce students between the ages of 13-18 years to the concept of physical computing.
Lagos East Teachers’ Fellowship - a programme aimed at equipping our teachers with new skills that will lead to better learning outcomes.
BUSINESS 101 FOR ARTISANS AND CREATIVES -
This programme is designed for creative startups in the fashion, crafts, or design sectors in order to upscale the approach to business in a fast-evolving world. Since its inception, we have trained 200 participants free of charge, made provisions for their daily feeding, and also given stipends for commuting. The programme is designed for a period of between 3-6 months, with the goal of running two streams per year. The expected outcome is for our youth to get jobs and be globally competitive entrepreneurs.
Other programmes under the endowment pillar include:
COVID-19 Relief Scheme through direct cash transfers of N5, 000 each on a monthly basis to over 2500 vulnerable people since January 2021. A total of over N150 million has been disbursed to date.
Yearly bursaries of N50,000 each are awarded to six hundred (600) brilliant indigent students enrolled in our tertiary institutions.
Conclusion
Once again, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your continued support and trust in me. It is a great honour to have been re-elected as your senator, and I am committed to serving you with renewed dedication and enthusiasm. I am dedicated to being accessible and responsive to your needs and concerns, and I am eager to collaborate with you to achieve even greater progress for Lagos East and to ensure that we achieve greater good for a larger number.
Pls, find below the pictorial evidence of the achievements we have accomplished together.
Senator Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru, FCA.