Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The Minority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Lukman Adeleye, has commended the choice of nominees sent to the Assembly by the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, describing them as the best among equals.
Hon. Adeleye elected on the platform of the Peopls Democratic Party (PDP) representing Odogbolu constituency, disclosed this during the screening of the nominees by the State lawmakers led by Speaker, Rt. (Hon.) Olakunle Oluomo at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
According to the Minority Leader, all the nominees were tested hands that had held sway as Commissioners and had performed excellently well during the first term of Governor Dapo Abiodun led administration in the State.
Corroborating the Minority Leader, other lawmakers lauded the nominees for being ranked among the best in their fields, while challenging them to consolidate on the gains recorded during the first term of the Prince Dapo Abiodun led-administration in the State.
They also sought for an improved synergy between the legislature and the various Ministries, counselling that the nominees should not rest on their oars, rather strive towards evolving and implementing more policies and programmes that would improve living standard of the people of the State.
The lawmakers implored the nominees to ensure inter-agency collaboration towards addressing the deplorable state of some roads across the 26 State constituencies, tackle issues of flooding, ensure improved investment opportunities, address housing deficit, flooding, land grabbing and shortfall of manpower in the primary and secondary schools across the State.
According to the lawmakers, the nominees if confirmed by the Assembly and sworn-in by the Governor, they should always accord due recognition to the Legislative arm of government as a partner in the development of the State, pointing out the need for sustained collaboration on the various policies and programmes of government through their ministries.
Also, the Speaker while commending their nomination, challenged them to leave up to the expectations of the office, emphasising that it was important to ensure the holistic achievement of affordable education system and improved access to justice dispensation.
He equally called for additional operational equipment to dredge river and canals across the State to address the incident of perennial flooding in some communities, just as he urged the Attorney-General designate to set up legal measures towards the immediate implementation of the State Anti-land Grabbing Law to curb the excesses of land grabbers across the State.
Earlier in his remarks, a nominees and former Commissioner for Housing, Jagunmolu Omoniyi, assured of improved service delivery, recalling that the Ministry under his supervision during the first term developed over 2,000 affordable housing facilities in five different locations across the three Senatorial Districts of the State, resulting in over 3,000 direct labour jobs for the artisans which had inturned contributed to the State’s GDP.
Also, the former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General Designate, Oluwasina Ogungbade, who recalled that the Ministry of Justice had put in place a committee to address sexual violence against women and minor, stressing that other drastic measures were being put in place to reduce time spent in awaiting trials by criminal suspects.
He therefore assured that through government’s intervention, land grabbing issues were now being treated within the jurisdiction of the offences committed.
Other nominees screened included Engr. Adebowale Akinsanya, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu and Olaolu Olabimtan, immediate past Commissioners for Works, Education and Budget and Planning respectively.