Kunle aDELABU
-Lawmaker gets party chieftains, residents’ commendations
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajimi Sanwo – Olu will be returning to Ikorodu in the next one month to commission another landmark project which would impact positively on the social and economic lives of the people.
Rep. Babajimi Benson, the representative of the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, revealed this on Saturday, June 19, 2021, while inspecting the five connecting roads that he facilitated around Sabo/Shams – el – Deen area of Ikorodu.
The road, which connects Ayanbadejo, Ajoke Oduyebo, Nike Olubodu and Kas Avenue areas, when completed, will link Adeniran Ogunsanya and Sabo – Itamaga –Itoikin roads and also ease traffic alongside and improve residents’ access to the affected areas.
Many political, religious and community leaders and local government functionaries joined the lawmaker on the inspection tour and also commended him for facilitating projects that are bringing about infrastructural developments to Ikorodu.
The road, which its rehabilitation started two months ago, is nearing completion as its drainage system is almost completed while the larger part has been graded and awaiting stone- base.
“We will be commissioning these roads within the shortest possible time”, Rep Benson assured residents.
“We intend to bring the executive governor of this state to commission it because I believe that he’s the Chief Infrastructure Officer. He has done a lot in Ikorodu silently.
“He just commissioned Ijede road and he’s currently doing the Isawo, Igbogbo and other internal roads in Ikorodu federal constituency. I don’t think that we have had it so good in the Ikorodu federal constituency.
“We would also be bringing him (the governor) here so that he will also see and be able to also look at one or two things that he can also facilitate and do for this community”, he said.
The two – term lawmaker said that the inspection tour was to ensure that the contractor handling the project deliver as scheduled and also to engage residents.
“We started this road two months ago and thank God for the efforts so far. Whenever I embark on infrastructural projects, I always like inspecting it and by doing that, we are also putting the contractor under pressure”, Hon. Benson said.
“Today, we are here with stakeholders in the political circle, religious circle, CDAs, local government as well as our party’s candidates.
“We have walked through the roads which the contractor is about to place stone base on. He has assured us that the road will be completed before Ileya in July.
“The other reason we are inspecting the road is also to bring stakeholders down here to talk to the residents to help protect the assets and materials of the contractor. This road ought to have been finished by now, but for the issue that we had with the community. In addition, the rain has also slowed down the pace of work of the contractor”, the lawmaker said.
“By the grace of God, all the issues have been resolved with the intervention of Chief Imam Oshoala and we have been seeing positive reactions from the residents.
He said that streetlights will be part of the projects to illuminate and enhance security in the axis.
“We are going to install streetlights to also improve security and we hope that the road would have positive impacts on the educational development of students of Jamaitul Primary School and Shams – el – Deen Grammar School”, he said.
Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos East Senatorial District, speaking with THE IMPACT during the inspection tour, said that Hon. Benson has shown that he is a quality representative by adding values to his constituents.
“Jimi Benson has proved to be a quality representative of the people. He has created values and also added values to the lives of the constituents”, the political leader said.
“Infrastructure developments are critical to fighting poverty and the development of the local economy. What he has done is to add value to properties around here; accessibility will be improved not only for commuters generally but also for school children who have to traverse from one place to the other to go to school.
“People are happy with what he has done here; constituents are delighted with it and we are very happy. We have never seen something like this before. For him to have done this, we really appreciate him so much from the bottom of our hearts and we wish him all the best as he continues to represent us”, the former Commissioner of Agriculture in Lagos State said thankfully.
Sheikh Yahyah Olorunosebi Oshola, Chief Imam, Oriwu Central Mosque who has been in the forefront of request for the construction of the roads in the axis, commended Hon. Benson for coming to the rescue of the people, describing him as a savior.
“I am very delighted that Hon. Jimi Benson is facilitating the road that we are celebrating today. He is a second to none representative of Ikorodu in government since 1999”, he said.
“We want to congratulate him for being so guided by God and for following the guidance of Allah and for listening to the cries of the people.
“lf not for him, we will have nothing to celebrate about this road. We are very delighted. We have Jamaitul Islamiyyah Primary school which used to be the biggest, in terms of population, before it was broken into parts. It was founded in 1955. There was also Aworo Primary School which was also founded aroud this area around 1979 before it was canceled.
“There is also Shams – el – Deen Grammar School along the road but we have not been having easy access to these schools. The students, teachers and government officials have not been having easy access either.
“Also, the part of this road which leads to Oriwu Central Mosque Eid Prayer Ground where half of Muslims in Ikorodu usually observe their eid prayers twice a year, has always been horrible especially when there is rain.But thank God that succour has come our way courtesy of our God’s sent savior (pointing to Hon. Babajimi Benson).
“He has saved us from all that we have been experiencing here that are not palatable.
He charged residents to be ready for the maintenance of the road and provision of security.
A chieftain of the APC, Alhaji Musliu Animashaun (De Cubano) who described the representation of the lawmaker as remarkable, said that he would score him 99.9% if he is to award marks to his representation.
“The road is fantastic. Jimi has done marvelously well. He has done a great job for our community”, he said.
“His tenure is very remarkable. Just under a year, he has completed the Igbe road in Constituency 2 and started this in Constituency 1.
“I wish him best of luck in his quest to do more. I understand that after this one, he is going to fix the streets behind the Ikorodu Police Station along Igbogbo Road.
“He has done well and if I am to give him a mark, he won’t earn anything less than 99.9%”, Alhaji Animashaun said.
Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA while commending the federal lawmaker, also added that his intervention through project facilitation has been easing the burdens on both the local and state governments.
“I want to commend and appreciate Hon. Benson because I am the first beneficiary of his open – heartedness on the issue of road construction and networking regarding what he did on Igbe road”, Daini said.
“I am happy about this and if we can continue to have this type of projects and developmental initiatives, it would ease the involvement of state and local governments in community development.
“I love this; I appreciate it and wish him more grace to do more for the people.
Hon. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, APC Chairmanship candidate in Ikorodu West LCDA, also commended the lawmaker for facilitating the project and charged residents to take ownership of it.
“It is fantastic and commendable that Hon. Babajimi Benson is bringing federal projects to our Division. It is marvelous and very impressive.
“The residents should do everything possible to maintain the road after its completion”, he said.
Otunba Rasheed Aleshinloye, Chairman, Ayanbadejo/Ayele CDA, who spoke on behalf of the three CDAs in the area, thanked Hon. Benson for the gesture.
“We are thanking him and also assuring him that the road will be well maintained. The CDAs in the area had held meetings on how to maintain and secured the road.
“We thank you (Hon. Benson) very much and wish you God blessings all the time.
Many of the residents that trooped out to welcome Hon. Benson and his team for the inspection of the road, were equally full of prayers and commendations for the young lawmaker.
