While many politicians are still clueless about how to deliver the dividends of democracy to their people in the remaining period of this current dispensation and when re-elected for another term in the coming 2023 general elections, the ever caring, performing and proactive representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Defense, Hon. Babajimi Benson, is already making solid preparations on how to end his second term which he started strongly, on a good note and also planning to deliver a more people driven developmental projects to his constituents in his third term which is generally believed to be a done deal.
To achieve this, the well-loved federal lawmaker and the poster boy of Ikorodu politics, has initiated a move tagged, ‘ Listening Tour’, which would enable him visit communities in Ikorodu Federal Constituency and engage residents as a way of knowing their developmental challenges and how to use his representation to proffer solutions to them in good time.
The first phase of the novel tour took place on Sunday, October 23, 2022, as the caring representative and his team embarked on a marathon visits to Ajaguro and Oriokuta communities in Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and Erunwen community in Ikorodu North LCDA respectively.
At both Ajaguro and Oriokuta, residents came out enmasse to receive the ‘talk and do’ politician and had a fruitful meeting with him, with the assurance that he would deliver on his promises to them as he has done for other communities where he has built roads, health centres, schools, provided solar powered lights, schools and many more.
Among the requests by the residents of the two communities included: fixing of Oriokuta-Agric road, upgrade of primary health centres and completion of the only public school in Agric axis and several others.
In his response, Hon. Benson promised to hearken to the rural dwellers’ demands by taking appropriate steps in proferring enduring solutions, in partnership with the state and local governments.
From there, the train of the tour moved to Eruwen community where an impressive turnout of residents equally received the federal lawmaker and his team.
Just like it was the case in the two communities visited earlier, the residents, in their interaction with their August visitor at the Keyoolu Descendant family hall, Erunwen, made several requests such as provision of transformer and school for the community, while emphasis was laid on the reconstruction of the long dilapidated Erunwen road to ease both vehicular and human movements in and out of the community.
Responding to the residents’ requests, Hon. Benson announced that the construction of the Erunwen road is included in this year’s budget and that work will commence on the road in November this year.
The announcement threw the entire gathering into wild jubilation as they sang the praises of the lawmaker.
Speaking further, Hon. Benson said that the 50% of the budget sum for the construction of the Ajose road in Ibeshe has been released and that the remaining is expected to be released soon for the Eruwen road project.
“This is a 3.6km road and it is in the budget. 50% of what was budgeted for has been released for the Ajose (road construction) in Ibeshe. I am sure that by November, work will commence on Eruwen road”, he announced to jubilating residents.
“I actually wanted to start with the Eruwen road, but the Ajose community were lucky.
“When completed, the road will have drainages, streetlights and other facilities and will increase the value of properties in the area”.
He further gave the residents the assurance that the Erunwen road, which has been a major concern to the community for many years now, will be constructed.
“As I have said, you may take it to the bank, the road construction is secured. We are just waiting for the release of funds. You can go back home and sleep, your road is a done deal”, Hon. Benson re-assured residents of Eruwen.
Also at the event, Hon. Benson disclosed that the Federal Government has paid the sum of N1billion for the construction of the road at the Odogunyan Industrial Estate, while he also assured that the Lagos State Government will fulfill its own counterpart funding as agreed about nine months.
“FG has released its funding for the Odogunyan Industrial Estate Road as pledged during the commissioning of the Timberly – Clark Manufacturing Plant. It has released N1billion”, Rep. Benson revealed.
“I am sure that Lagos State Government will release its own counterpart funding too”.
It would be recalled that Prince Clement Egba, the Minister of State for Finance, Budget and National Planning, in his remarks at the official commissioning of the Kimberley Clark Manufacturing Plant at Odogunyan Industrial Estate, last year, started what led to the agreement when he called the attention of the government to the decadence state of the infrastructures in the industrial estate which he said does not conform with the investments.
He assured Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the FG’s counterpart funding if the Lagos State Government was ready to do same.
“Both the state and the federal governments benefit from this (the Industrial Estate). While the State government benefits from the Personal Income Taxes, at the federal level, we also benefit from the Company Income Taxes and I must also say that the infrastructures in this area have not grown in the same pace as the industries that are in this area”, Prince Egba said.
“I had a chat a while ago with His Excellency, the governor of Lagos State, as to what is the cost to construct a road and he mentioned N2.5billion.
“Mr. Governor, since we both benefit from the area, if you commit to provide N1billion, I will commit the federal government to providing N1.5billion in the next budget, so that together, we can do it”, he charged.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, in his reaction to the charge by the Minister, took up the challenge and promised to provide the counterpart funding for the project.