•624 students get bursary at third Town Hall meeting


Amid fanfare, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande yesterday inaugurated the Lagos Central Constituency Office of Senator Oluremi Tinubu in Yaba, Lagos Mainland.

The ceremony, which preceded the senator’s third Town Hall meeting at Rock View Hotel, Apapa, was part of her first year anniversary programmes.

Senator Tinubu is representing Lagos Central District, which has 13 local government areas and local council development areas (LCDAs).

Six hundred and twenty four students received N10,000 bursary each from the senator under her Post-Primary School Scholarship Scheme (PPSSS) to defray the cost of textbooks.

The gesture was applauded by ACN leaders in the district. Twenty thousand naira each was given to 624 traders under the senator’s Petty Traders Empowerment Capital Scheme (PETECS).

While disbursing the cash, the senator urged the youths to work hard to succeed in life.

Statesmen, foremost politicians, monarchs, religious leaders and numerous admirers defied the downpour to attend the event, which started at 10.30am with an opening prayer by Pastor J. F. Odesola of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

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Akande noted that the constituency office, which Senator Tinubu christens ‘Rehoboth House’, will serve as a meeting point for her and her constituents to examine ideas, articulate senatorial interests and collate constructive suggestions for her [size=13pt]legislative[/size] duty.

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He emphasised the importance of the parliament in democracy, saying the setting up of the constituency office is in tune with modern practice of establishing a link between the legislator and constituents.

Mrs. Fashola, who was the Mother of the Day, hailed Mrs. Tinubu for her activities at the National Assembly and her poverty alleviation programmes in Lagos Central District.

She said: “Mrs. Tinubu has been a good senator to emulate. She has given scholarships to many youths and she has been holding Town Hall meetings regularly in her district. I urge the constituents to lodge their complaints and make good suggestions in aid of her legislative activities through this constituency office.”

Olusi, a member of the House of Representatives in the defunct Second Republic, noted that Mrs. Tinubu has justified the confidence reposed in her as a politician and senator.

He said she has not let the people of Lagos Central District down.

Senator Tinubu thanked God, party leaders and constituents who gave her the mandate a year ago.

To Akande, who she said had steered the party in an exemplary way, she said: “By the grace of God, we will berth on the shores of that great harbour in 2015.”

The senator told her constituents that the inauguration marked the fulfillment of one of her responsibilities as a senator representing the district.

She said: “We are open to you five days in a week; Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5pm. I will personally be attending to some requests every two weeks on Fridays, between 10am and 2pm.”

Mrs Tinubu said she was motivated to inaugurate the office on “June 12 Day”.

According to her, the day reminds ACN members of the price paid for the restoration of civil rule 13 years ago.

Senator Tinubu added: “Our struggles and commitment hold true to the saying by Thomas Paine that ‘if there must be trouble, let it be in my day that my child may have peace’. June 12, 1993 was a day that those of us who experienced it would never forget. Our nation rose as one to speak with one voice through an election adjudged as the freest and fairest ever in Nigeria’s political history. Sadly, the result was annulled by military fiat on June 26, 1993, bringing the entire nation to a standstill.”

She noted that despite its inherent weaknesses, democracy has remained the best framework for representative and accountable government. The lawmaker urged Nigerians to rededicate themselves to the protection of popular rule.

Mrs Tinubu added: “On my part, I will continue with my relentless pursuit of those [size=13pt]policies[/size] on education, gender rights and social security for the aged and free and fair elections that will be of benefit to the great number of the people.

“The opening of this office will aid us better in understanding the position and agitation of our people. I promise again to do my best to serve and uphold the ideals of our great party, especially our populist democratic objectives, as entrenched in our great party’s manifesto, at the federal and state levels.”

At yesterday’s parley, where the senator gave account of her stewardship, Ibeju Lekki/Eti-Osa ACN Leader, Prince Murphy Adetoro, praised Mrs. Tinubu for living up to expectation as a senator and role model.

He noted that if she sustains the tempo, she may become the first female governor in the state.

The wife of the party chairman, Mrs. Toun Ajomale, advised women to participate in politics to prove the point that they can make a difference.

She said: “Senator Tinubu has shown that women can make a difference in politics and administration. Women are not supposed to be on-lookers but stakeholders who should participate effectively in politics.”

Tendering her scorecard, Mrs Tinubu spoke of her activities as a member of eight committees in the Senate. They are those of Employment, Labour and Productivity, of which she is Vice-Chairman; Education, Marine Transport, Trade and Investment, Millennium Development Goals, Womens Affairs and Youth Development as well as Constitution Review.

She said in furtherance of her commitment to women empowerment, she has sponsored a Bill to affirm the rights of women to employment by expunging Section 57 of the Labour Act, 2004, which “potentially limits the participation of women in certain ventures and industry”.

The senator also said she has submitted the names of 50 constituents to the National Directorate of Employment for vocational training, adding that another constituent’s name has been submitted for consideration in the NIMASA Seafarers Development Programme.

Mrs. Tinubu added that as a member of the Education Committee, she has objected to the “casualisation of teachers” by advocating that casual teachers should be given full employment, if they meet stipulated requirements.

The senator said Lagos Central District would benefit from the Millennium Development Goals’ (MDDGs’) programmes of climate change, skill acquisition and street lighting.

anonimi: I thought the inheritors of Papa Awo would maintain the basic element of the Itesiwaju (Progressive) policy of free education at primary and secondary school levels along with free textbooks.
If you cannot improve what you CLAIM to have inherited and also beneffited from, you should at least be able to maintain it.
Alas we have a senator who has made the granting of N10,000 for 624 students to buy textbooks the flagship of her achievements in the upper legislative house

Given the importance of the ongoing constitution amendment and Mrs. Tinubu's membership of the senate committee thereon, one would expect her to articulate the party's position on the issues that they have been very vocal about- true fiscal federalism, state police, stiffer penalties for terrorism and electoral malpractices. No. Nothing
Yet she is supposed to be one of the leading lights of the current Yoruba political dispensation.
Interesting.

kunlekunle: its part of her constituency project, our money

babapupa:

It's called constituency allowance, the same allowance that other politicians pocket for their own personal use Is what she's handing over to the people of her constituency to better their lives.

This is what they call looking out for your own. Let's hope and pray that your reps and senators are looking out for you same w.ay

babapupa:

It's called constituency allowance, the same allowance that other politicians pocket for their own personal use Is what she's handing over to the people of her constituency to better their lives.

This is what they call looking out for your own. Let's hope and pray that your reps and senators are looking out for you same w.ay

kunlekunle:

since the constituency allowance was used for her constituency project whats the haleluyah for.
Shes only doing her job.
no hating

kunlekunle: thou learned person,
you sound wise, but wrote foolishly.

its my broadband