KOSOFE CONSTITUENCY 1: OKLA RESTATES COMMITMENT TO QUALITY REPRESENTATION, PROJECTS FACILITATION.

*Reveals ongoing projects in the Constituency

*Expresses concern over Oworoshoki infrastructure deficit

*Bemoans negative impact of Covid-19 pandemic on capital projects

By: Olusegun Apena and Fadipe Taiwo

The Lawmaker representing Kosofe Constituency 1 at the Lagos state House of Assembly, Hon. Sanni Babatunde Okanlawon, has restated his commitment towards providing quality representation and adding value to the lives of the people of his constituency.

Hon. Sanni who is popularly referred to as Okla, in an exclusive interview with our Media outfit, stated that he was committed towards uplifting the standard of living of his constituents through facilitation of valuable infrastructural projects to the area.

He said although the core responsibilities of a lawmaker is to make laws, perform oversight functions, pass budget and legitimize governor's nominees, he would always try his best within the scope of his duty and responsibility to ensure Kosofe Constituency 1 has its fair share of developmental projects in the scheme of things.

His words: " ours is to represent our people in the assembly in terms of budgeting, oversighting, legitimizing and lawmaking. To ensure that we are given a pride of place in the scheme of things; to ensure we have our own fair share of the cake of the state.

"So when you are able to, through lobby, have your own fair share of cake in the budget, it is for the executive to implement. We are in charge of the fund, theirs is to implement. Our responsibility is to ensure that our Constituency is recognized in the scheme of things."

He disclosed that in living up to this resolution he had, within 365 days in office as a Lawmaker, recorded remarkable achievements by facilitating important projects to the constituency and also revived construction works on some abandoned projects.

He said as a consequence Kosofe Constituency 1 has become a huge construction site with the present of the state government in virtually all the wards except Oworoshoki which he noted with dismay is at present experiencing Infrastructure deficit.

The Chairman house committee on commercial, industry and cooperative spoke further by revealing the ongoing projects and mentioning the particular areas the construction activities are taking place as Arowojobe link bridge at Mende, Ojota/Alapere link road at Ojota, Kujore, Amoo, Tanimo and Olatunji Streets also at Ojota.

Others are Soluyi/Yetunde brown link bridge, Ajoke Salako, Abiodun Adeseye, Adegbenro Streets and Ganiyat Daodu/Oworo 2nd Access road link road at Ifako.

He explained that he particularly facilitated the construction of Ojota/Alapere link road by interfacing with the ministry of works and Special Adviser to the Governor on Road and Infrastructure on realizing the feasibility and importance of constructing the road lying between Kosofe Local Government and Pastor Ayorinde Church to link Lagos/Ibandan expressway.

His words: "I discovered if we open the road in between the local government council and Pastor Ayorinde Church to burst out into Lagos Ibadan expressway, it will of course decongest traffic on Ojota/Ogudu road and make commuting seamless to our people.

"I called the attention of ministry of works and the Special Adviser on Road and Infrastructure; they all came down with their teams of engineers and they saw a very good alternative road in the project... and work has since resumed on the site."

He said the reason behind it was to obviate the need of motorists heading towards Lagos on Lagos/Ibadan expressway from having to drive through Ojota /Ogudu thereby decongesting it of traffic.

He added that similar reason was totally behind the opening of Adegbenro and Ganiyat Daodu streets to link Oworo 2nd access road so as as to burst into 3rd Mainland bridge thereby decongesting traffic on Diya street at Ifako.

He said the difficulty inherent in the realization of the project which he observed goaded him to bring the commissioner for Physical Planning to assess the area, adding that it culminated in the demolition of a building obstructing path of way, saying that the owner was however compensated.

His words: " At Adegbenro and Ganiyat Daodu Streets works are going on their intensively. We thought of opening the route so that pressure on Diya street will be reduced and to also give third access roads. We have one at William Street, another at Diya so it is third access road to that axis.

" We thought of opening up opening up Ganiyat Daodu, there was a house that was an encumbrance. I went along with the commissioner of physical planning to see what we can do there. The work is ongoing, the drainage along Adeseye Adegbenro is almost completed. The house that stood as encumbrance has been demolished and the owner has been compensated by the government. The next thing is to open it up into Oworoshoki 2nd access road"

Hon. Sanni however expressed concern over the appalling state of public infrastructures at Oworoshoki stating that the area is experiencing huge Infrastructure deficit with terrible roads and poor drainage system.

And while noting that the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in the country has grossly affected construction of capital projects as year 2020 budget of the state had been reworked with some projects having to be removed, he stressed that concerted efforts are being made to address the infrastructural decadence.

He noted: " In Oworoshoki we have issues of bad roads and infrastructural decadence. We are in talks with the ministry of works If not for Covid-19 that distrupted our programmes. Contracts for the construction of Some of the roads would have been awarded by now. Unfortunately Covid-19 has made nonsense of the budget..."

He however made it known that he had been able to add value to the area by facilitating the rehabilitation of Muslim college which he said had been completed and would be available for use as soon as students resume academic activity.

"However we have been able to add value to Oworoshoki. I submitted the name of Muslim college for rehabilitation and today the rehabilitation has been carried out and the school has been fixed. By the time the students resume the school will be wearing a new look. And they are going to enjoy the facility therein": Okla stated.